The Rider of the Winds, the Helping Hand

Lesser Power (formerly Demipower) of Gladsheim, CN
PORTFOLIO: Travel, exploration, long-range traders, miners, caravans, windghosts
ALIASES: None
DOMAIN NAME: Gladsheim/Shaunidaur
SUPERIOR: None
ALLIES: Akadi, Mielikki, Selûne, Shevarash, Solonor Thelandira, Tymora, Gwaeron Windstrom, Shiallia, Lurue the Unicorn, Nobanion
FOES: Beshaba, Shar
SYMBOL: An upright silver left hand with palm out and fingers together, its wrist trailing away into rippling winds on a black or deep purple background of circling winds
WOR. ALIGN.: LG, LN, NG, N, CG, CN
Shaundakul (SHAWN-da-kul) the Rider of the Winds, was the god of travel and exploration in old Myth Drannor. His existence may date back to the time of the Rus, forbears of the Rashemaar, or beyond. In the time of Myth Drannor, he was worshiped by humans and half-elves, particularly those who were caravan merchants, traders, explorers, miners and adventurers in the uncharted wilderness of the Moonsea North. He was a keen-eyed guide who pointed out the hidden lodes and ways of the North, and brought luck and battlevalor to worshipers in need.
In the days following the Dawn Cataclysm, Shaundakul is said to have had a brief dalliance with Tymora and spurned the advances of Lady Luck's sister, Beshaba. The Maid of Misfortune vowed revenge, and the Rider of the Wind's luck finally faltered during the assult on Myth Drannor. Shaundakul's worship fell with his followers when Myth Drannor was destroyed. Most of his faithful perished in the final battle against the Army of Darkness. Mielikki absorbed the surviving rangers, and Waukeen the traders.
At his high point, Shaundakul was an intermediate power, but after the fall of Myth Drannor he declined to the status of a lesser power and bordered on demipower status. By the Fall of the Gods, Shaundakul's clergy had fallen to a mere double handful of priests scattered throughout the North, and Shaundakul was a demipower reduced to brooding over fallen Myth Drannor. Only a few prospectors and caravan merchants still worshiped him in quiet, underground cults or fellowships.
During the Godswar, Shaundakul roamed the ruins of Myth Drannor with increased frequency and is believed to have battled and destroyed at least one demipower of the orc, gnoll, or giant pantheons. Since the Time of Troubles, a reinvigorated Shaundakul has increased his efforts to reestablish his worship throughout the North. Combined with the influx of traders and caravan merchants who have begun to venerate him with the disappearance of Waukeen (Lliira seems unconcerned by their collective choice), Shaundakul's faith has undergone a rapid revitalization. The Helping Hand is being called upon once again throughout the North and has just gained enough worship to reattain lesser power status. Whether Shaundakul will keep the worship of traders and caravan masters if Waukeen returns to the Realms is unknown at this time.
Shaundakul's spheres of influence overlap slightly with several other gods including Helm, Lliira (serving in Waukeen's stead), Mielikki, Selûne, and, in particular, Tymora. None is these powers is likely to tolerate any further encroachment on their portfolios, potentially severely curtailing the long-term growth of Shaundakul's faith.
Shaundakul is a god of few words. He lets his deeds speak for him. He is kind and yet stern, but often displays a rugged sense of humor. He is sometimes lonely and enjoys a good chat—especially if he can trade jokes. He is eager to gain new worshipers, and if given the opportunity, he tries to persuade any ranger, fighter, wizard, or thief of appropriate alignment to join his faithful. His avatar often wanders the ruins of Myth Drannor striding to the aid of otherwise doomed adventurers, and he knows much about Myth Drannor's history, mythal, and current inhabitants. In exchange for his aid in such situations, he demands one service that often involves destroying or driving out from Myth Drannor a fiend from the lower planes or another powerful monster. Shaundakul himself is said to stalk the layers of Gladsheim, and occasionally the Happy Hunting Grounds, hunting fierce beasts and evil giants with his attendant windghosts (detailed in The Ruins of Myth Drannor boxed set and the MONSTROUS COMPENIUM Annual: Volume One).
The "Kiss of Beshaba" still bedevils the Rider of the Winds in the lands of Anauroch. Shaundakul is cursed as the "Treacherous Lurker in the Sands" by the Bedine nomads who call the desert home. He is portrayed as a mischievous, malicious trickster appearing as a jackal-headed man. In truth, here he is impersonated and his reputation has been subverted by Beshaba, with the aid of the phaerimm living beneath Anauroch and, later, ruined Myth Drannor. In Anauroch, Shaundakul is now blamed for blinding folk, drying out oases, causing travelers to become lost, and all the other misfortunes that beset the Bedine. The only "windghosts" serving this false aspect of Shaundakul are mad watchghosts (detailed in The Ruins of Undermountain boxed set). Shaundakul is planning to reclaim his good name in the lands of Anauroch, but the phaerimm and Beshaba are likely to oppose this plan at every opportunity.
Other Manifestations
Shaundakul typically manifests as a great, disembodied hand glowing with unearthly radiance and surrounded by swirling winds. This hand speaks and points the way, and can issue forth spells from its forefinger. This appearance also accounts for Shaundakul's common appellation, the Helping Hand.
Shaundakul has also been known to send one or more windghosts to aid besieged worshippers making a desperate stand in the wild. He may aid faithful worshippers by creating moving wind walls to guard them in battle situations or even turn a trapped worshipper into wraithform to allow escape. He has also been known to send squirrels, wolves, long-ranging birds (gulls, hawks), and rabbits to guide or aid his faithful. He manifests his displeasure with one of his faithful by creating a wind wall in his or her path.
The Church
CLERGY: Specialty priests, crusaders, rangers
CLERGY'S ALIGN.: NG, CG, N, CN
TURN UNDEAD: SP: No, Cru: No, R: No
CMND. UNDEAD: SP: No, Cru: No, R: No
All specialty priests and crusaders of Shaundakul receive religion (Faerûnian) as a bonus nonweapon proficiency.
Shaundakul has few temples in the Realms, as the members of his clergy are generally struck with wanderlust and rarely remain in one place. However, they have constructed numerous shrines to the Rider of the Winds throughout the Moonsea North. Typically, a shrine to Shaundakul is a stone dais built atop a high place, crowned with a stone seat or throne, and accompanied by one or more stone pillars pierced with holes that the wind whistles through. Many such shrines exist throughout the Moonsea North and the Stonelands, some of them over a thousand years old.
All clerics of Shaundakul became specialty priests at the conclusion of the Time of Troubles. About 10% of Shaundakul's clergy members are crusaders (known as windfists), 20% are rangers (known as zephyrs or mistrals), and the rest of specialty priests (known as windwalkers). At the conclusion of the Godswar, Shaundakul's only known priests were Juxril Thammarcast of Waterdeep (hm P9), who held services at the Plinth; Eldrisel Tylosar of Huddagh (hm P6); Aszerra Untlimmer in Ordulin (a fat, motherly hf P6); Phelos Mistarn in Hillsfar (an elderly, grim hm P7), a noted scholar on the history of the Dragonreach); Maurith Slindearyl in Elventree (a beautiful, very young P4); and Waertin Nanszrai (an aging, bespectacled hem P8) in Elmwood. Shaundakul's clergy has expanded dramatically since the Time of Troubles, and his clergy members now number several hundred and his church continues to grow.
There is no clear hierarchy in Shaundakul's faith, although those priests who served the Rider of the Winds prior to the Godswar hold positions of great respect in the church. Shaundakul's name is not well known in the cities of the Realms, but more and more travelers are visiting his shrines and invoking his name when traveling in the North.
Priests of Shaundakul use a variety of self-chosen appellations, but a loose hierarchy of standard titles does exist. In ascending order of rank, these include: Seeker of the Wind, Scout, Trailblazer, Explorer, Guide of the Hidden Ways, Rider of the West Wind, Rider of the South Wind, Rider of the East Wind, Rider of the North Wind, and Lord High Windhand.
Dogma: Priests of Shaundakul are usually quite reserved concerning their fellowship of worship, seeking to spread the teachings of Shaundakul through example. Priests of the Helping Hand are to actively work to reestablish their god's sphere of influence among traders, particularly trailblazers who explore new lands and open new trade routes. They are to act as scouts, guards, and leaders for parties of explorers, caravans, and mining expeditions. They are to unearth ancient shrines of Shaundakul and resanctify them.
The charge given to postulants is as follows: "Ride the wind and let it take you wherever it blows. Aid those in need and trust in the Helping Hand. The world is large with many lands as yet undiscovered. Seek out the riches of the earth and the sea and journey to distant horizons. Be the first to see the rising sun, the mountain peaks, the lush valleys; let your footsteps fall where none have tread. This is the wonder of the world."
Day to Day Activities: Priests of Shaundakul are expected to provide for themselves by living off the land, hiring themselves out as scouts and caravan guards. Many serve as guides for adventuring companies or as explorers. A very few are Harpers. All seek to visit the scattered shrines of Shaundakul as frequently as possible and to construct new ones when they acquire sufficient resources.
On occasion a priest of Shaundakul is accompanied by a windghost, a servant creature sent by Shaundakul. Such priests are typically engaged in a specific mission for the god and are usually powerful adventurers.
Holy Days/Important Ceremonies: Shaundakul's clergy celebrates only one holy day per year. The 15th of Tarsakh is known as the Windride. No matter where they are, priests must seek out a strong breeze and cast a wraithform or wind walk spell at dawn. (Priests who do not have access to either spell are granted access to the former on this one day, regardless of level. In addition, the duration of either spell is extended to last from dawn to dusk.) Shaundakul's priests then spend the day soaring with the wind, swooping and swirling wherever chance may take them. They always land safely, usually in a region they have never been to before.
Shaundakul's clergy members have a few simple ceremonies they practice when appropriate. They are to utter a simple prayer every time the wind changes significantly. Whenever they discover previously uncharted territory (such as an undiscovered valley, lake, or island), they are to create a small throne of rocks marked with Shaundakul's symbol near the location where they first made the discovery. If of sufficient level, they are to create a shrine to Shaundakul using stone shape magics.
Major Centers of Worship: The major temple of the Rider of the Winds in the Realms at his faith's heyday was Shaundakul's Throne in Myth Drannor, though he had many shrines in the North, particularly in the Moonsea region. One shrine frequently visited today is Lanthalas's Requiem, located west of the Stonebolt Trail in the Stonelands.
Shaundakul's Throne still stands, guarded by the avatar of the god. It consists of two towers linked by walls that form an enclosed courtyard to a large central building containing an undercroft where the clergy lived in year's past and a huge dais (the Throne itself) open to the sky, where Shaundakul was worshiped. High-level members of Shaundakul's faith sometimes make a pilgrimage to the ancient temple, often receiving a great boon from the Rider of the Winds if they survive the dangerous trip.
Affiliated Orders: Since the Time of Troubles, several military orders have been founded in the name of Shaundakul. The Fellowship of the Next Mountain is an order of rangers and windwalkers who typically work alone, blazing trails in the uncharted wilderness areas of the Sword Coast North and Moonsea North.
The Knights of the Shadow Sword are an elite order of crusaders, windwalkers, and rangers. Founded by the half-elf Jax Nightsong and based in Shaundakul's Throne, they are dedicated to cleansing Myth Drannor of the evil that haunts its streets and ruins. Initially, they are fortifying the ancient temple as a base of operations and sending out scouts to reconnoiter the ruined city.
The Riders of the West Wind are an order of windwalkers and a few rangers who hire themselves out as a mercenary company to guard caravans heading through uncharted wilderness to distant lands. Having just returned from Sossal, they are rumored to be planning an expedition to the fabled lands of Anchorôme in the near future.
Priestly Vestments: Shaundakul's priesthood has straightforward ceremonial raiment. All priests sport a dark swirling cloak over garb appropriate for the trail. They wear a leather or chain gauntlet stained deep purple or tinted black (respectively) on their primary hand (and sometimes on their off hand as well). The symbol of Shaundakul—a silver upright left hand with its wrist trailing away into rippling winds—is depicted on the palm and back of the gauntlet.
Adventuring Garb: The adventuring garb of Shaundakul's priests is not noticeably different than their ceremonial vestments. His priesthood typically favors leather armor, but sometimes wears studded leather armor or chain mail. Its members favor great swords, such as the two-handed sword or claymore, and often wield long or short bows. They always wear dark, swirling cloaks and the gauntlet of their faith.

The Festhall Madam, the Lustful Mistress, Feline of Felicity, Succubus of Sensation, the Tawny Temptress, the Dancing Lady, Foe of Set, Mother of Cats

Demipower of Olympus and Gladsheim
CG
PORTFOLIO: Hedonism, excess, lust, sensual fulfillment, festhalls, cats, pleasure seekers
ALIASES: Bast, Bastet, Felidae, Zandilar the Dancer
DOMAIN NAME: Olympus/Brightwater and Gladsheim/Merratet
SUPERIOR: None
ALLIES: Anhur, Hanali Celanil, Lliira, Milil, Nobanion, Selune, Sune
FOES: Set, Shar, Loviatar
SYMBOL: Feminine lips (Sharess) or a cat's head wearing delicate golden hoop earrings (Bast; older)
WORSHIPPERS ALIGNMENT: Any
The Church
CLERGY: Clerics, specialty priests, mystics
CLERGY'S ALIGNMENT: NG, CG, N, CN; rarely and briefly, NE, CE
TURN UNDEAD: Cleric: Yes, Specialty Priest: No, Mystic: No
COMMAND UNDEAD: Cleric: No, Specialty Priest: No, Mystic: No
All clerics, mystics, and specialty priests of Sharess receive religion (Faerunian) and religion (Mulhorandi) as bonus nonweapon proficiencies.
Sharess includes a small but significant number of elves and half-elves among her clergy, most of whom venerate her as Zandilar the Dancer.
Sharess is worshiped in large urban areas such as Waterdeep, Calimport, and other cities along the Sword Coast. She is revered by male and female professional escorts who take pride in their professions, the decadent rich, and those who seek only endless pleasure in life. In Mulhorand, she is also revered by those who combat Set and rewards those who work long and hard against him with occasional nights of wild pleasure to inspire them to further efforts. Sharess's faith is still very young and its ceremonies very loose and fluid, with long worship services that resemble nothing so much as extended feasts and revels, heavy on the pleasures of the flesh and light on the teachings of the spirit. A goodly number of former followers of Waukeen who have rejected Lliira's teachings have become interested in Sharess.
The few temples of Sharess are typically located in large cities along the Sword Coast, but small shrines to the goddess of pleasure may be found in almost every festhall in the Realms. Her temples are typically constructed to resemble elaborate festhalls, with graceful, fluting pillars, octagonal domes, great halls sculpted to resemble forest glades, secluded nooks, bathing areas in natural mineral springs, great banquet halls, and richly scented massage parlors. Most are guarded by staunch fighters and even exotic sentient monsters who are sworn to protect all revelers who partake in the name of Sharess.
The clergy of Sharess are collectively known as Sharessin. Both male and female humans can be found in their ranks, but charismatic and physically beautiful female humans comprise the great majority of them. Specialty priests of Sharess are known as sensates. As there is no known connection between Sharess's faithful and the Outer Planar faction of the same name, this is a potential point of confusion.
The clergy of Sharess is split evenly between clerics and specialty priests, with the balance slowly shifting in favor of specialty priests. Alignment restrictions for Sharess's clergy (particularly clerics) are weak, and a gentle slide toward evil is still often tolerated. Those priests who remain evil and seem unwilling or unable to drift back toward neutrality in their behavior are secretly entreated by agents of Shar to shift their worship to the Dark Maiden while maintaining their position within the clergy of Sharess. The Feline of Felicity seems unwilling or unable to prevent such defections at this time, rare though they may be.
Dogma: Sharess's priests are expected to live their lives in the decadent sensual fulfillment of themselves and others. Pleasure is to be sought out at every opportunity and life is to be lived as one endless revel. Initiates to the faith are taught that: "Life is to be lived to its fullest. That which is good is pleasurable and that which is pleasurable is good. Spread the bounty of the goddess so that all may join in the Endless Revel of Life and bring joy to all those in pain. Infinite experiences await those who would explore, so try the new as well as savoring the old."
Day-to-Day Activities: Many priests and priestesses of Sharess run pleasure houses in large cities or directly serve decadent rulers. These pleasure houses cater to all the senses and include fantastic feasts, heavenly baths and massages, unique experiences, such as flight, and every other pleasure imaginable. Wealthy festhalls often employ one or two mid-level Sharessin, and some Sharessin wander the countryside, with Sharess's blessing, seeking new pleasing sensations to add to their repertoire.
Holy Days / Important Ceremonies: The clergy of Sharess celebrate more festivals than possibly any other faith in the Realms. They are known collectively as the Endless Revel of Life. The daily rising and setting of the sun, the yearly passage of seasons, the appearance of a full moon, or nearly any other event is cause for a celebration and wild revel to which the general populace is always invited. Each such festival has several outlandish titles and new festivals are added all the time as old ones are forgotten. Without comparison, however, Midsummer's Eve is the time of greatest rejoicing among Sharess's faithful and an occasion for the most extreme pursuits of boundless pleasure.
Major Centers of Worship: The center of Sharess's faith is the Festhall of Eternal Delight located along Calimport's waterfront. An earlier temple on this spot was destroyed during the most recent Night Parade, and the new temple is even more extravagant than the last. Dark marble columns, jutting spires, crystalline statues in enticing poses and vast, landscaped atriums decorate this sprawling complex. The temple baths are legendary for their recuperative powers and skilled masseuses, and the temple flowers are carefully selected for the reputed aphrodisiacal properties of their scents in some rooms and their calming or soothing properties in others. Gigantic fighters (several who appear to have giant or ogre blood), a sirine (somehow magically equipped to breathe air), and a faerie dragon, among other exotic protectors, stand guard against the frequent raids from the neighboring Temple of Old Night.
Affiliated Orders: Sharess is served by no military or knightly orders. Most professional escorts in major cities join formal or informal guilds led by her clergy, however. Sharess is served by a secretive sisterhood of female werecats known as the Eyes of Evening who also pay tribute to Selune. The aims and goals of this mysterious fellowship are unknown, although they are rumored to hunt cultists of Shar and Loviatar during nights of the full moon.
Priestly Vestments: All priests of Sharess wear their hair long and style it to show off their faces and bodies to their best advantage. The priestly raiment of Sharess's clergy varies widely according to the priest's gender, the local climate, current fashions, and the priest's taste. Waterdhavian courtesans favor highly suggestive evening dresses that make them seem half-undressed, while the women of Calimport's harem's wear diaphanous negligees, short vests, sheer pantaloons, gold dust, and endless gemstone beads and coins strung in ropes and made into decorative chains and fringes. Male clergy typically prefer tight-fitting breeches that are tailored to their charms and blousy open shirts. They often wear decorative belts and vests. Sharess's holy symbol is the image of feminine lips carved from dark amber or ruby and worn on a golden chain on the wrist or ankle.
The few priests and priestesses of Bast who remain in Mulhorand favor tight-fitting kalasiris (tight-fitting white linen knee-length skirts) and ornate pectoral collars draped suggestively over the chest or breasts. The holy symbol of Bast is a cat's head wearing golden hoop earrings.
Adventuring Garb: When adventuring, the clergy of Sharess endeavor to preserve the gifts of the goddess as best as they can and hence typically wear the best armor they can afford. There is no point to living life without pleasure, however, so they always decorate such armor as provocatively as possible.

Mistress of the Night, the Lady of Loss, Nightsinger

Greater Power of Hades
NE
PORTFOLIO: Dark, night, hatred, loss, forgetfulness, unrevealed secrets, caverns, dungeons, the Underdark
ALIASES: Ibrandul (Calimshan, the Shining South, Waterdeep/Undermountain)
DOMAIN NAME: Niflheim/Palace of Loss
SUPERIOR: None
ALLIES: Myrkul (now dead), Shevarash, Talona, Vhaeraun
FOES: Amaunator, Ibrandul (now dead), Lathander, Selûne, Shaundakul
SYMBOL: A black disk with a border of deep purple
WORSHIPPERS ALIGNMENT: Any, but mainly evil
Loss is the nature of Shar (SHAHR). One of the Dark Gods, she is a deeply twisted and perverse being of ineffable evil and endless petty hatred and jealousy. She rules over pains hidden but not forgotten, bitterness carefully nurtured away from the light and from others, and quiet revenge for any slight, no matter how old. She is said to have the power to make her devout followers forget their pain, yet what occurs is that they become inured to the loss, treating it as a common and natural state of being. The basic inanity of life and foolishness of hope are the cornerstones of Shar's being. She revels in the concealed, in that wich is hidden, never to be revealed. She can always clearly perceive every being, object, and act performed within darkness.
In temples, representations of the goddes are either a black sphere outlined in racing, magically animated flames of purple or paintings of a beautiful human with long, raven-black hair dressed in swirling dark garb. She smiles coldly and her large eyes have black pupils and are otherwise solid purple.
Shar is the mortal enemy of Selûne and battles her ceaselessly on any planes through mortal worshipers and servitor creatures. The undying enmity between the two goddesses is older than recorded time.
During the Time of Troubles, Shar killed Ibrandul, a lesser power of caverns, dungeons, and the Underdark worshiped in Calimshan, the Shining South, and even Waterdeep, for daring to subvert those who venerate the dark away from her. She appropriated his portfolio. She continues to grant the clergy of Ibrandul spells in Ibrandul's name. She is quietly delighted that she is able to use this puppet church to subvert the worship of Selûne without drawing attention to her most faithful worshipers.
Other Manifestations
Shar frequently manifests as amorphous tendrils of darkness where there should be none. These tendrils swirl and writhe constantly and are surrounded by a purple aura. Such darkness sometimes has a single steadily gazing purple eye at its heart, but even if this orb is absent, beings within the darkness always feel the ceaseless regard of a fell awareness. These tendrils of darkness can touch the faithful and transmit messages from Shar directly to their minds, indicate items of importance or direction, or grant numbness and the ability to ignore pain. The tendrils do not heal just allow the faithful to continue on until they drop dead of fatigue or accumulated injury. Shar also works through darktentacles doom tyrants, and mysterious shadow monsters, using them as messengers, guards, and enforcers of her will.
The Church
CLERGY: Clerics, Specialty Priests, Crusaders, Mystics
CLERGY'S ALIGNMENT: LE, NE, CE
TURN UNDEAD: Cleric: No, Specialty Priest: No, Crusader: No, Mystic: No
COMMAND UNDEAD: Cleric: Yes, Specialty Priest: Yes, Crusader: No, Mystic: No
All clerics, specialty priests, crusaders, and mystics of Shar receive religion as a bonus nonweapon proficiency. All priests of Shar may see as well in natural or magical darkness as in light; however, this does not give them the heat-sensing abilities of infravision.
Shar is worshiped by blinded, nocturnal, or subterranean-dwelling humans and allied beings and by those who hate the light, such as goblinkin and their allies. She is also worshiped by many who favor dark surroundings or who must undertake deeds or do business in darkness. She is venerated by those who are bitter or are grieving over a loss and wish to find peace (especially through vengeance) and by individuals who want to forget. She is also placated by those who know their wits have been harmed and want to find peace or those who have been mentally harmed and want to remember fully or be restored in their minds. Many in Faerûn fear nightfall, the casting of the cloak of Shar, because of the dangers that lurk in its folds.
The church of Shar is largely composed of underground cells, rather than an overt, uniformed body of priests working from temples. As such, its adherents have a covert, widespread, and complex hierarchy wherein every full priest serves a direct superior, and overpriest responsible for a large area, and beings (both human and otherwise) who know the prist's Own Secret (the personal name Share gave them and the dark deed they performed for her in order to demonstrate their loyality and win that name). Clergy members revel in secrecy, and cells of the church are organized around small congregations of worshipers who know and are led by a single prist. Many priests may operate in the same area, and although they may know of and aid each other, they work independently. In this way, should one cell of the church fail, the others can still flourish in its absence.
Most Sharran clergy use such titles of address as "Brother Night" or "Sister Night." To superiors, they say "Mother Night" or "Father Night," and lay worshipers address them so. Their formal titles include Adept of the Night (a novice), Watcher (the least senior ordained priest). Hand of Shar (a battle-tested priest who leads a force of priests-adventurers or oversees several cells), Darklord/Darklady (a senior priest able to proclaim local policy), Nightseer (the oversett of all faithful in a realm or other large geographical area) and Flame of Darkness (archpriest or personally trusted servant of the goddess).
Specialty priests of Shar are called nightcloaks. Until five years ago, they were called nightbringers, only existed outside the standard church hierarchy, and served as contacts, messengers, and enforcers of the Dark Lady's will. They still perform such detached liaison and enforcement functions, but some nightcloaks have now become integrated into the cell structure/hierarchy of the church, especially among the clergy of the Dark Embrace, discussed below.
Shar's hatred of Selûne extends to her clergy and their relationships with the chruch of Selûne. The two faiths war continually, and jihads and assassination plots against Selûnites are common where Shar is strong. One of the reason the chruch of Shar remains so small is a byproduct of this endless war. Several holy wars and vendettas led by Sharrans against more powerful forces of Selûnites have resulted in many Sharran casualties.
Dogma: Dark Followers (the faithful of Shar) are instructed to reveal secrets only to fellow faithful and to never follow hope or turn to promises of success. They should quench the light of the moon (the faithful of Selune and their holdings, deeds, and magic) whenever they find it and hide from it when they cannot prevail. Above all, the dark should be a time to act, not to wait.
Faithful of Shar are not supposed to hope and are therefore forbidden to strive to better their lot in life or to plan ahead except in matters directly overseen by the clergy of the Dark Goddess. Consorting with beings of good alignment who actively serve their deities is a sin unless undertaken to take advantage of them in purely business dealings or to corrupt them form their beliefs into the service of Shar. Devotees of Shar must not speak out against clergy of the goddess, nor interrupt their devotional dances for any reason. Lay worshippers must prove their faith by obedience to the clergy and by carrying out at least one dark deed ordered by a priest of Shar every year - or bring at least one being to believe in, and worship, the Dark Goddess.
The lower clergy of Shar must obey their superiors in all matters, short of following orders that will lead to their own death - Shar desires to gain followers, not lose them. To win new followers and to keep the faithful truly loyal, clergy must see that some of the dark desires of worshippers are fulfilled (such as the elimination of business rivals).
Day-to-Day Activities: The clergy of Shar seem to pursue practical, local goals designed to further the power of the priesthood and of those who worship Shar, rather than to openly oppose other faiths (save that of Selûne). Shar desires to bring all humans under her sway by promoting general lawlessness and striefe. In this way, most folk will suffer loss and turn to her for peace (especially through vengeance), and the influence of all other faiths will be lessened.
Specifically, Sharran clergy are enjoined to work covertly to bring down all governments, particularly within cities, and to publicize Shar's patronage of avengers so that the desperate and despairing humans of other faiths turn to her to geht revenge and not the weakened demipower of vengeance, Hoar. Sponsorship of thieving guilds and hedonistic clubs of all sorts is a key part of this assault on order, as is the encouragement of political intrigue everywhere. Widespread war and slavery are things to be avoided, Shar wants to gain followers, not see them lives thrown away for no gain.
Shar's love of secrecy is strong. Her clergy work toward fulfilling her desire for secrecy by always acting through manipulation and behind-closed-doors intrigue. They also work through and promote shadowy cabals and organizations that appeal to human desires to be a part of something elite and important, to keep secrets, and to be involved in the mysterious. Fifty or more false cults that have arisen in the past two decades have been born of secret clubs and cabals begun by Sharran priests to corrupt the peace and lawfulness of various cities.
Holy Days/Important Ceremonies: As so many devotees of Shar keep their faith secret (and this secrecy is encouraged by senior clergy), the Sharran faith has no set holy days aside from the Feast of the Moon. To Dark Followers (the faithful of Shar) this holiday is known as the Rising of the Dark. They gather on it under cover of the more widespread venerations of the dead to witness a blood sacrifice and learn of any plots or aims the clergy want them to work toward during the winter ahead.
The most important Sharran ritual of worship is Nightfall, the coming of darkness. Clergy hold this ritual every night. It consists of a brief invocation, a dance, a charge or series of inspiring instructions from the godness spoken by one of the clergy or by a raven-haired female lay worshiper, and a revel celebrated by eating, drinking, and dancing together. Lay worshipers must attend at least one Nightfall (or dance to the goddess themselves) and must perform - and report to their fellows - at least one small act of wickedness in salute to the Lady every tenday. On moonless nights, Nightfall is known as the Coming of the Lady, and every congregation must carry out some significant act of vengeance or wichedness in the Dark Lady's name.
The most important ceremony of the priesthood of Shar is the Kiss of the Lady, a horrific night-long revel of slaying and doing dark deeds in the name of the lady that ends with a feast at dawn. Kissmoots are scheduled irregularly, whenever the priests of Old Night decree. Increasingly the rival clergy of the Embrace have been proclaiming that this ritual be celebrated at different times than those decreed by the temple of Old Night.
Major Centers of Worship: The Temple of Old Night in Calimport is the oldest, haughtiest seat of worship to Shar. It is a subterranean complex underlying much of the eastern city ruled by the highest-ranked known mortal servant of Shar: the aged Irtemara, the Dancer Before Dawn, a debauched and jaded Calishite woman famous for her revels and murderous whims (which, over the years, have brought about at least six changes of government in various realms across Faerûn). Irtemara is loyally served by three male priests who work covertly against each other. They will undoubtedly break into open battle for supremacy when Intemara dies.
The Temple of Old Night vies for supremacy over the Dark Followers with the Dark Embrace, a temple founded not quite 40 years ago by clergy of the Dark Goddess dissatisfied with the leadership of Old Night. The Embrace perches atop a crag in Amn, overlooking the midpoint of the trade road linking Imnescar and Esmeltaran. Its policies are more ruthless than those proclaimed in Calimport - the faithful of the Embrace are more openly active in local politics wherever they operate, employing assassinations where intimidation and the fulfillment of dark desires fail. The Embrace is led by a small circle of clergy whose leader seem to be the Eye in the Flame Aubert Heldynstar. Most clergy of the Dark Embrace are nightcloaks.
Affiliated Orders: The church of Shar sponsors no fighting orders or knighty orders. Crusaders who serve the faith are attached to perticular Sharran cells and temples, not the faith in general. Clergy of the faith who have killed one of the clergy of Selûne are rumored to gain access to an honorary order or secret society known as the Dark Justiciars. Many thieves' guilds have connections to Sharran cells, and such affiliated groups use each other for their particular plots mercilessly.
Priestly Vestments: The colors purple and black are used extensively in Shar's church and among her followers. Most Sharran clergy dress in black cloaks or soft, silent dark garb with purple trim, piping, or accessories during rituals. High ceremonial dress of those of rank or taking a special role in a ritual is a long-sleeved robe of deep purple over black tights or a black velvet chemise. A black skullcap covers the entire head, except for on woman with jet-black hair. Such hair is seen as a symbol of the Dark Lady's pleasure and is left to flow unfettered and long. Less commonly encountered versions of Shar's symbol than the one mentioned above are of a glistering purple eye outlined in black with a black pupil or a cowled hunting cloak of unadorned black stretched out flat.
Adventuring Garb: Sharran clergy wear practicular clothes in the fashion of the land they are in while pursuing day-to-day life. They are fond of jewelry fashioned from obsidian, black onyx, amethyst, and purple jade, but they are not required to wear it. When entering a situation where they might encounter hostilities they wear armor and take appropriate protective measures.

Our Lady of Silver, the Moonmaiden, the Night White Lady

Intermediate Power of Gladsheim , CG
PORTFOLIO: Moon, stars, navigation, navigators, wanderers, seekers, good and neutral lycanthropes
ALIASES: Bright Nydra (Farsea Marshes), Elah (Anauroch, among the Bedine), Lucha (Durpar, Estagund, and Var the Golden)
DOMAIN NAME: Ysgard/Gates of the Moon
SUPERIOR: None
ALLIES: Mystra, Lliira, Sune, Tymora, Eilistraee, Sehanine Moonbow, Shaundakul, Eldath, Chauntea, Valkur the Mighty, Lathander
FOES: Shar, Umberlee, Mask, Moander (now dead)
SYMBOL: Two darkly beautiful human female eyes surrounded by a circle of seven silver stars
WOR. ALIGN.: LG, NG, CG
When Selûne (Seh-LOON-eh) journeys to the Realms, she is said to appear in many forms and is depicted in religious art as everything from a female face on a lunar disk to a dusky skinned woman with wide, radiant eyes and long ivory-colored hair to a matronly, middle-aged woman whose dark hair is streaked with gray. In Durpar, Estagund, and Var the Golden, Selûne is worshipped as part of the Adama, the Dutparian concept of a world spirit that embraces and enfolds the divine essence that is part of all beings. Here she is known as Luche, She Who Guides. Lucha oversees connections and relationships, guiding herdsmen to good pastures, blessing marriages, helping lost ships at sea, and ensuring safe births. It can be safely said that as the moon changes, so does the nature of the moon goddess.
Selûne's eternal foe is the evil goddess Shar, and she battles her ceaselessly on many planes of existence, both through mortal worshipers and servitor creatures. The undying enmity between the two goddesses predates the existence of most, if not all, of the present-day existing Faerûnian deities. The enmity between Shar and Selûne carries into their priesthoods, such that open battle often occurs when followers of each faith meet. Selûne also struggles with Umberlee constantly over the fate of ships at sea and with Mask over the works of mischief and evil he performs in the shadows the moon's soft glow creates.
Selûne is a caring but quietly mystical power who often seems saddened by events perhaps millennia old. While she is normally calm and placid, her war with Shar is fierce, with neither side giving or receiving quarter. She is seen in many ways by her followers, who are a diverse group, and she is at times effervescently joyful and active, at others maternal, quiet, and almost poetic, and at yet others warlike and fierce, showing little mercy to her foes.
Before the Time of Troubles, Selûne had served Sune for some centuries after being independent for millennia. After the Godswar, she went her own way again. Her relationship with Sune and Lliira is still extremely friendly and cooperative.
Selûne is served by the Shards, a group of shining female servitors. The Shards can grow wings or banish them as they desire and have long, flowing blue hair and pearly-white skin. They are in reality planetars.
Other Manifestations:
Selûne often manifests as trails of dancing light motes known as "moondust" or "moon motes" that resemble will-o'-wisps. These guide folk who are lost at night or who must travel over treacherous ground; they also appear in order for her faithful to provide the light necessary to perform a delicate task. These moon motes may exude sparkling, glowing drops of pearly liquid—"drops fallen from the moon"—which Selûnite clergy gather and prize highly, using as an ingredient of power in many helpful potions and healing ointments. She also sends owls, weredragons, certain lycanthropes and shapechanging creatures, and the Shards to aid mortals or to show her favor or presence.
The Church
CLERGY: Clerics, specialty priests, crusaders, mystics
CLERGY'S ALIGN.: LG, NG, CG, LN, N, CN
TURN UNDEAD: C: Yes, SP: Yes, Cru: No, Mys: No
CMND. UNDEAD: C: No, SP: No, Cru: No, Mys: No
All clerics, specialty priests, crusaders, and mystics of Selûne receive religion (Faerûnian) as a bonus nonweapon proficiency.
Selûne is worshipped by a mixed bag of followers: navigators, sailors, women, female spellcasters (especially those born under a full moon or interested in divination), good and neutral-aligned lycanthropes, those who work honestly at night, those seeking protection from Shar, the lost, the questing, and those curious about the future. Couples look to Selûne to bless them with children when they are ready, and women look to her for courage, strength, and guidance. The demands she places on her followers are few, and the goddess is reputed to be free with her gifts and boons to mortals.
Selûne's priesthood is as diverse as her worshipers; with hers being truly a faith that promotes equal access and understanding. Reflecting the chaotic and scattered nature of the church of Selûne, its hierarchy is a hodgepodge of clerics, specialty priests, crusaders, mystics, informed or blessed lay individuals, and a smattering of good-aligned lycanthropes (both natural and infected). All cooperate in relative—if rollicking—peace under the symbol of Our Lady of Silver. Members of this diverse group all worship the goddess in their own styles. Her churches vary, as do the phases of the moon, from opulent temples in Waterdeep to simple shrines in the Dalelands, from hermitages and hilltop dancing circles to ornate mansion temples.
A great deal of moon-related activity occurs in and around Waterdeep, and most of this is attributed to the temple to Our Lady of Silver. Most Selûnites, however, tend toward smaller shrines and individual worship, since "Anywhere the full moon shines is the place for Selûne." Selûnites refer to night conditions as being either "moonlight" (the moon is present, though perhaps not immediately visible) or "nightgloom" (the moon is not out or is dark).
Selûnite priests use a wide variety of titles, but novices (not yet fully priests) are always known as the Called, and human females tend to dominate the ranks of the more powerful clergy. Typical Selûnite titles (in ascending order) include: Touched, Enstarred, Moonbathed, Silverbrow, Lunar, Initiate, and High Initiate. All of these titles are followed by "Priestess/Priest." Those titles that follow these in rank tend to begin with "Priestess/Priest of the" and end in some form traditional to the individual temple or shrine the priest is affiliated with. It must be stressed that outside of Waterdeep and other larger city temples, many departures from these forms of titles will be found. The elite specialty priests of the goddess are known as silverstars.
Selûne as Lucha is worshipped by nearly everyone in Durpar. Her worshipers believe that she will guide them to the most profitable customers. It is widely believed that Lucha herself watches over all marriages performed by her clergy, and nearly all marriages in Durpar are performed by priests of Lucha. Her priests work ceaselessly against those of Mask and other evil gods.
Dogma: Selûne's ethos seems to be one of acceptance and tolerance over any other overriding principle. All are to be made welcome in her faith and seen as equal, and fellow Selûnites should be aided freely, as if they were one's dearest friends. "May Selûne guide your steps in the night, and bring them to the new dawn" is the common blessing of priests of Selûne to the faithful.
Novices are charged with the words of the goddess: "Let all on whom my light falls be welcome if they desire to be so. As the silver moon waxes and wanes, so too does all life. Trust in my radiance, and know that all love alive under my light shall know my blessing. Turn to the moon, and I will be your true guide."
Day-to-Day Activities: Priests of Selûne spend their time wandering Faerûn reaching out to the faithful and to potential worshipers of the moon goddess, since Selûne can be worshiped anywhere on the surface world. They make much small coin by telling fortunes, because folk who try to read the stars never achieve the same success rate in predictions as do clergy members who can call on Selûne for real guidance. In this way, Selûne steadily gains worshipers from the ranks of those who look to the night sky for guidance.
Members of the Selûnite priesthood also face lycanthropes fearlessly and thereby win respect among farmers and other members of the common folk. They are also, by the Lady's command, generous with their healing, often charging very little beyond a meal and a warm place to sleep for straightforward healing. Selûne's way thus makes the goddess ever more popular and keeps her clergy hardy, well-traveled, and in practical touch with the natural world.
The Moonmaiden's clergy are encouraged to be self-reliant, humble, and yet make as much of a success as they can in the world while always remaining as helpful and friendly to the lonely and to decent folk as possible. By this long-sighted policy Selûne allows her clergy to become happy, fulfilled, important people, and sees her faith steadily gain power thereby. Our Lady of Silver is inclined to be lenient in matters of alignment and religious observance. Self-reliance and finding one's own, practical path are more important than fussy detail in her faith, and so Selûne is also gaining favor among eccentrics, adventurers, and mavericks of all sorts, including outcasts. Many sages expect Selûne to rise again to great might among the powers, perhaps within their lifetimes.
Holy Days/Important Ceremonies: Selûnite clergy embroider their rituals into quite individual, unique observances. The basics of these are open-air dances and prayers under the moonlight with offerings of milk and wine poured upon a central altar during the nights of every full moon and new moon. These rituals are often called night stalks and during them her priests reaffirm their closeness to the Night White Lady and commune with her when possible.
The most sacred rituals of Selûne are the Conjuring of the Second Moon and the Mystery of the Night. The Conjuring of the Second Moon is performed only during Shieldmeet. It summons the Shards to do the bidding of the mortal clergy, often to do battle with minions of Shar. The Shards always take one mortal priestess to be one of them before they depart.
The Mystery of the Night must be performed at least once a year by every priest. During the Mystery ritual, Selûnite priests cast certain secret spells and lie before the Moonmaiden's altar, from whence they fly upward and spiral around the moon in a trance while they speak personally with Selûne via mental visions. This ritual causes a mortal ld12 points of damage as it is so draining, but this damage heals normally through rest or the use of healing magic.
When the goddess is pleased, she causes moonlight to bathe the wine or milk poured out on her altar, which transforms it into moonfire: an opalescent, glowing, soft-as-silk, ambulatory fluid mass the consistency of custard. The moonfire flows down from the altar to touch or envelop beings and items. Its touch destroys undead, enchants objects to make them magical items for the use of Selûnite clergy, and confers special powers on creatures. Moonfire vanishes when Selûne wills and bestows power as she wills. Those who steal it gain nothing, and there is no known means of forcing it to yield up a specific power.
Typical magical items Selûne creates with her moonfire include bracers of defense, mooncloaks, moon motes, potions of moon-healing, rings of shooting stars, and various magical shields. Moonfire-created bracers of defense in addition to working as other such bracers, allow their wielder to dimensional dooronce a night from one moonlit place to another. A mooncloak is a silvery-gray cloak that combines the powers of a cloak of protection +1 with water walking and levitate at will. A moon mote is a round, smooth stone that can become dancing lights upon command under the directional control of whoever is holding the mote; range and duration for the effect are as if dancing lights were cast by a 22nd-level wizard. Potions of moon-healing restore 4d8+4 points of damage to injured mortals and can be split into four doses that cure 1d8 points of damage each. To natural and infected lycanthropes, potions of moon-healingrestore 8d8+8 points or yield four doses that cure 2d8 points of damage each.
Moonfire can also bestow magical powers upon mortal worshipers of Selûne under special circumstances. They work, when applicable, as if their users were 22nd-level. Typical special powers include:

• Dispel magic at will once per moon (month).
  
  
• Feather fall in moonlight at will or when unconscious and descending uncontrolled.
  
  
• Fly (as the wizard spell) for as long and as often as desired one night per moon.
  
  
• Identify objects by touch seven times per moon.
  
  
• 30-foot infravision.
  
  
• Locate object at will with no time or space limit within Faerûn once per moon.
  
  
• Remove curse by touch once per moon.
  
  
• Telekinesis once per night for as long as desired, but only when in moonlight. The ability ends abruptly in darkness or in nightgloom.
  
  
• Immunity to all powers of and damage from elven moonblades.
  
  
• Complete control over lycanthropic transformations for seven moons for lycanthropes of any type.
  

Lady of Strategy, Grandmaster of the Lanceboard

Demipower of the Prime Material Plane
LN
PORTFOLIO: Strategy, planning
ALIASES: None
DOMAIN NAME: Toril/Faer&circu;n
SUPERIOR: Tempus
ALLIES: Tempus, Torm, Valkur the Mighty
FOES: Cyric, Garagos
SYMBOL: A red knight chess piece with stars for eyes
WORSHIPPERS ALIGNMENT: LG, NG, LN, N, LE, NE
The Red Knight serves Tempus, the Lord of War, as the goddess of planning and strategy. She is portrayed as a dark-haired woman in blood-red armor, with a map of the Realms tightly clasped in her hands. The Red Knight keeps her true name secret from all but the Lord of Battles, as she realizes that if any power, mortal or divine, were to gain any measure of control over her, they would be privy to all the plots and stratagems of rulers throughout the Realms and the powers throughout the planes.
The Red Knight is venerated by the Foehammer's followers in a secondary position to the Lord of Battles. Only since the Time of Troubles has a small priesthood distinct from that of the Foehammer arisen in her name. This small priesthood, owing it existence in part to the increasingly complex nature of war, is grudgingly tolerated by Tempurans and apparently encouraged by the Lord of Battles himself. Some sages speculate that Tempus has sponsored the Red Knight to the rank of demipower and encouraged her worship as a natural counterbalance to Garagos the Reaver, his mortal enemy.
The Lady of Strategy is calm and logical in demeanor, but displays a great wealth of compassion, though she is unafraid to send her worshipers to their deaths when necessary to secure the objective of a plan. She rarely raises her voice and is said to love a good joke and have a throaty laugh. She dislikes flighty behavior, and looks unfavorably upon those who switch alliances often or capriciously.
The Red Knight see Tempus as a father figure, and the two spend a great deal of time together. They sometimes hunt together or exchange tales in his feasting hall, but most often they are busy visiting the numerous fields of battle in Faerun or reviewing battles of times past. The Red Knight sees Valkur as her best ally in the disposition of naval conflicts, though her expectations of him sometimes exceed his demonstrated level of commitment to all but the protection of sailors. The Red Knight and Torm are similar in disposition, and their interests in battle and the duties of warriors coincide well. She is known to be fond of him, but whether they are in love or merely close friends is a matter they have kept very private. The Lady of Strategy dislikes Garagos from what she has been told of his behavior by Tempus, though she personally has not come to blows with him. Her animosity is reserved for Cyric, who she despies as the utmost of traitors and liars and a poor planner besides.
During the Time of Troubles, the Red Knight was active in Tethyr defending the strife-torn nation against an army of monsters that threatened to surge forth from the Forest of Tethir. Her military genius was decisive in numerous battles where the small, but determined, Company of the Red Falcon overwhelmed numerically superior armies of beasts and humanoids.
Other Manifestations
The Red Knight commonly manifests as a chess board on which various pieces are positioned. By discerning the most appropriate next move on the board, worshipers blessed with such a vision can intuit an appropriate strategy for the future for their current situation.
The Red Knight shows her favor by the discovery of small, red chess pieces carved from price-less rubies. She shows her displeasure by the discovery of similar pieces carved from crumbly white quartz. She also has been known to enable trained battle animals to perform feats of strength or intellect normally beyond their capacities in order to aid their owners. The Red Knight is served by einheriar, maruts, pers, and stone golems and stone guardians shaped in the form of chess pieces. More common creatures said to manifest her presence or interest include owls, eagles, falcons, elephants, pegasi, horses, and domestic dogs and cats, especially those trained for battle, most such creatures are of a ruddy hue.
The Church
CLERGY: Clerics, Specialty Priests, Crusaders, Monks
CLERGY'S ALIGNMENT: LG, LN, LE
TURN UNDEAD: Cleric: Yes (if good or neutral), Specialty Priest: No, Crusader: No, Monk: No
COMMAND UNDEAD: Cleric: Yes (if evil), Specialty Priest: No, Crusader: No, Monk: No
All cleric, specialty priests, crusaders and monks of the Red Knight receive religion (Faerûnian) as a bonus nonweapon proficiency.
Only in recent memory has the Red Knight emerged as a demipower in her own right, distinct from Tempus. Most folks still view her as a follower or aspect of Tempus, similar to Veiros and Deiros, the Foehammer's twin steeds. Although the Red Knight serves all sides in battle, villagers and city dwellers perceive her as an ally of civilization who enables small numbers of brave defenders to triumph through superior intelligence and foresight against ravening hordes of rapidly breeding humanoids.
The Red Knight has but a few shrines dedicated to her name, and all but one are found within temples of Tempus. Chapels of the Red Knight are dominated by images of chess pieces and the floor is inlaid with a chess board (also known as a lanceboard) of black and white or red and white marble. Typically they are guarded by numerous stone guardians of blood red and bone white hue, carved in the shape of various chess pieces.
The clergy of the Red Knight, known as the Red Fellowship, is an offshoot of a monastic order within the hierarchy of the church of Tempus that concentrated on planning and strategy. Evenly divided into clerics, crusaders, monks, and specialty priests (known as holy strategists), this relatively small priesthood has only organized into a distinct faith since the Time of Troubles and has been most active since after the end of the great crusade against the Tuigan Horde in the Year of the Turret (1361 DR). Regardless of class, priests of the Red Knight are regimented in a strict hierarchy with corresponding titles. In ascending order, these titles include: Page, Squire, Knight, Knight Quartermaster, Knight Commander, Knight Captain, Lord Knight, Lord Knight Commandant, and Lord Knight of the Red Standard. Higher-ranking priests precede their titles with their relative rank within the clergy (for example, the eighth-highest ranking priest of the Red Knight's faith is known as the Eighth Lord Knight of the Red Standard), although this practice may be abandoned as the clergy grows in size.
Dogma: War is won by those with the best planning, strategy, and tactics, regardless of the apparent odds. Any fool can snatch defeat from the jaws of victory with fortune's aid. Only a master strategists can ensure victory and that is will last.
War is a series of battles. Losing a battle does not necessarily indicate the war is lost. Seek out your opponent's weaknesses and recognize your own; avoid an opponent's strengths and play to your own. Only by focusing one's own strengths on one's opponent's vulnerabilities can triumph be ensured.
In times of war prepare for peace; in times of peace prepare for war. Seek out your enemy's enemies as allies, and be prepared to compromise. Life is an endless series of skirmishes with occasional outbreaks of war. Be ready—and have a contingency plan.
Day to Day Activities: Members of the Red Fellowship serve in armies throughout the Realms. Many are high-ranking commanders, often of elite squads. Others are well-respected instructors in war colleges in kingdoms throughout the Realms. A few are quartermasters skilled at obtaining and maintaining supply lines over hostile territory. Quite a few priests of the Red Knight have authored tomes on military strategy.
When not on duty, priest of the Red Fellowship are known for their love of gaming. Although they avoid games of chance that require the smile of Lady Luck more than the brilliance of the Red Knight, priests of the faith strive to constantly improve their skills in abstract games of all sorts to further challenge their development of parallel lines of thought and new stratagems and to sharpen their ability to read an opponent's intenions.
Holy Days/Important Ceremonies: In addition to observing the holy days and important ceremonies of the church of Tempus, the clergy of the Red Knight observe two important holy days themselves.
The Retreat is an annual event held every Midwinter's day. During this solemn cermony, the clergy of the Red Knight assemble for a day-long retrospective on the previous year's campaigns. Strategies are discussed, battles are analyzed, and the accumulated lore is intergrated into the church's teachings.
The Queen's Gambit is celebrated on the first day of Taraskh. During this festival, the clergy of the Red Knight unwind with a day of feasting and gamesmanship. Day-long tournments of chess and go (a game imported from Kara-Tur) are held, with tournments victors receiving recognition, titles of merit, promotions, and sometimes a precious gift from the temple armory.
Major Centers of Worship: The Citadel of Strategic Militancy has arisen as the center of the Red Knight's faith outside of the aegis of the church of Tempus. Located at the juncture of the Coast Way and Thundar's Ride, approximately 40 miles northeast of Baldur's Gate, this small castle was the hold of the Bloodhawk clan, part of the minor, self-styled nobility scattered throughout the region encompassing the Fields of the Dead. The castle was built by Taric Bloodhawk over a century ago with money he plundered from an orc chieftain's secret horde during the battles of the Year of the Lost Lady (1241 DR).
During the night of the Fall of the Gods, Lady Kaitlin Tindall Bloodhawk, sole heir of Lord Ronlar Bloodhawk, was exploring the ruins enveloping the village of Tempus's Tears with the rest of her adventuring band, the Company of the Red Falcon. During the night, she was possessed by the Lady of Strategy to serve as her avatar host. The Red Knight forged the Company of the Red Falcon into a small, but powerful, mercenary company. She led the band south where the group was single-handedly responible for eradicating an army of monsters that swarmed out of the Forest of Tethir and threatened to overrun the northeastern quarter of beleaguered Tethyr. The strategic genius of the Red Knight enabled the Company to triumph against overwhelming odds and forever earned them a place in Tethyr's history.
When Lady Kaitlin returned to her ancestral home at the conclusion of the Godswar, however, she found the lands pillaged, the castle a smoking ruin, and all of the inhabitants put to the sword. Broken-hearted, she vowed revenge, but she could never discover the perpetrators of the foul deed. In her family's memory, she rebuilt the castle and dedicated it as a temple to the Red Knight.
Today the Citadel of Strategic Militancy is a bastion of military might and serves as the home of the newly founded Red War College. This school caters to military officers throughout the Realms who are sponsored by their lieges to study strategy and planning. The Citadel's walls are checkered with red and white marble, and a blood red dome tops the central keep. The central chapel is a giant lanceboard on which the priesthood engages in strategic battles during religious ceremonies. Farmlands in a 20-mile radius are worked by peasants who gladly embrace the Citadel's expanding hegemony. The havrested land serves as a training field in the cold winter months. High Lady Bloodhawk admnisters the burgeoning complex in the name of her liege, the Red Knight, and serves as First Lady Knight of the Red Standard (high priestess) of the faith.
Affiliated Orders: The Order of the Red Falcon is a fellowship of crusaders, warriors, and a few paladins who serve the Red Knight and Lady Bloodhawk. Small in number, the elite knights of this order are dangerous opponents who have triumphed in the face of overwhelming odds on numerous occasions. Based in the Citadel of Strategic Militancy, many of the knights serve as instructors in the Red War College. Other serve stints in various armies throughout the Realms training the officers in military history. On rare occasions they are all summoned back to the Citadel and led into combat by Lady Bloodhawk herself.
Priestly Vestments: Clergy of the Red Knight wear blood-hued suits of plate armor or plate mail for ceremonial functions over which is worn a white tabard embroidered with the Red Knight's symbol. They are not forbidden to cover their faces with their helms like Tempuran clergy are, however, and so they often sport full helms when visibility is not a concern and they wish to convey a grand impression. When not armored, their clerical robes are red, although the shading varies slightly from darker to lighter with increasing rank. They wear the symbol of the Red Knight carved from a red-hued gemstone on a chain around their necks.
Adventuring Garb: Adventuring garb for priests of the Red Knight is the best armor they can obtain. Although their armor can be battleworn, most priests strive to keep it polished and unmarred, as befits a commander seeking to inspire both his followers and the bards. All clergy of the Red Knight have a battle standard, paint their heraldic symbols (in entitled to one) on their shields, or display the symbol of the Lady of Strategy on banner or shield to form a rallying point for troops when they are going into organized battle. Covering or concealing such a standard generates no disapproval from the church however, if a strategem should require it.

The Binder of What is Known, the Lord of Knowledge, Patron of Bards, the Wise God

Greater Power of the Plane of Concordant Opposition
N
PORTFOLIO: Knowledge, Invention, Inspiration, Bards
ALIASES: Curna (Durpar, Estagund, and Var the Golden)
DOMAIN NAME: Plane of Concordant Opposition/House of Knowledge in Tir na Og
SUPERIOR: None
ALLIES: Deneir, Milil, Gond, Lliira, Mystra, Azuth, Lathander
FOES: Talos, Bane (now dead), Mask, Cyric
SYMBOL: A simple, blank scroll
WORSHIPPERS ALIGNMENT: Any
Oghma (OGG-mah) is the most powerful god of Knowledge in Faerûn. Much as Mystra of old was said to sit in judgment of each new spell, Oghma is said to decide whether a new idea would be known to the world or confined to its originator. Deneir and Milil both act as intercessors for Oghma, carrying new information both to him and to those whom Oghma favors. He is on good relations with the artificer god, Gond Wonderbringer, who serves him by giving ideas manifest forms, but their relationship has sometimes become tense due to Gond's proclivity to press for the rapid introduction of new devices throughout Faerûn. In Durpar, Estagund, and Var the Golden, Oghma is worshipped as part of the Adama, the Durparian concept of a world spirit that embraces and enfolds the divine essence that is part of all beings. Here he is known as Curna, goddess of wisdom.
Oghma is a cheerful and wise power whose ability to persuade others to his point of view he puts to endless use. He can be solemn and righteous, but he is more often quietly humorous and quick to smile. His one flaw may be his fondness for his own thoughts; he tends to implement rather convoluted plots that he has worked out first in his own mind rather than to take direct action.
Other Manifestations
Oghma most often manifests as a blue-green radiance accompanied by distinctive crawling cords of rising, almost menacing music. These are always the same, and only Oghma dare use them. Others who try to imitate the chords are visited by an immediate warning manifestation; if they persist, this is accompanied by a blue ring of flame that encircles and burns them either severely or fatally, depending on the anger of the god. The radiance is always accompanied by a strong sensation of being watched, and Oghma may even speak in an elderly, echoing, cultured voice, using words sparingly to say, for example: "Well said," "'Tis well done," "Desist from thy course, or perish," or "What ye seek is to found in …"
Oghma has also been known to manifest as a blinding white light that may from time to time extrude two blazing eyes of fire, emit beams of coloured force that bestow magical effects, or project hands that can point, carry or wield things. He also uses various golems, translators, electrum dragons, feystags, watchers, and watchghosts to demonstrate his approval or disapproval or to send aid to his faithful.
The Church
CLERGY: Clerics, Specialty Priests, Monks, Bards, Wizards
CLERGY'S ALIGNMENT: LN, N, CN
TURN UNDEAD: Cleric: Yes, Specialty Priest: Yes, Monk: No, Bard: No, Wizard: No
COMMAND UNDEAD: Cleric: No, Specialty Priest: No, Monk: No, Bard: No, Wizard: No
All clerics, specialty priests, and monks of Oghma receive religion (Faerûnian) as a bonus nonweapon proficiency.
Oghma is venerated by sages, wizards, and the knowledgeable. He is particularly worshiped by bards, who also show their bended knees to Milil. Anyone seeking information, particularily lost or hidden information, sends a few good words in Oghma's direction and asks for his blessing.
All priests of Oghma are called loremasters. Other clergy include a smatering of bards and wizards. All races are freely admitted to the priesthood. The entire church hierarchy is devoted to the spirit of one man, the Grand Patriarch of Oghma, who until the Time of Troubles made his home in Procampur and was recognized as being the "voice of Oghma." During the Time of Troubles the Grand Patriarch disappeared without a trace. Answers from Oghma have been conflicting and confusing as to what happened to him. The Patriarch's house in Procampur has become a shrine to Oghma. Until the Grand Patriarch's fate is known, the church is running without an ultimate head, and it has split into several factions and subfactions.
The largest faction is the Orthodox Church of Oghma, which does not recognize anyone using the title Patriarch since its hierarchy holds that the Patriarch who vanished during the Time of Troubles is still serving Oghma. Perhaps the Patriarch is on another plane of existence or has ascended to a semidivine state, but nevertheless, until Oghma says otherwise, he is the only rightful Patriarch.
The second largest faction is the Church of Oghma in Sembia, which is distinguished mainly in that it believes a new Patriarch has been appointed and that all knowledge should be tested and proven to be worthy of dissemination before it is given out into general release. This faction is joined in its stance on the church hierarchy, but not on theology, by the Pursuers of Pure Knowledge in Mintar. (The pursuers of Pure Knowledge have met a great many setbacks recently due to Mintar being taken over by Teldorn Darkhope, Lord Knight Imperceptor of the Dark Lord, who claims to serve Bane reborn and has killed all who oppose him openly. The church opposes him, therefore, covertly).
To date, there has been a tenuous cooperation between most regional churches, but a recent rift between the Church of Oghma in Sembia and the Orthodoxy in Cormyr has caused relations to be broken off totally between the church in those nations. Loremasters of the one nation are not welcome in the others' temples and vice versa. The heart of this problem seems to have been caused by assumptions behind the keynote remarks of one Sembian loremaster at a Sembian arts festival in which an extensive Cormyrean Oghmanyte contingent had come to participate.
Acolytes in the service of the Binder are called Seekers, and those of some accomplishments are Senior Seekers. When an acolyte demonstrates clear (good and useful) inspiration, solid service in Oghma's cause, or true loyalty to the god to the discernment of at least two priests of the Wise God; those two priests confirm the acolyte as a true priest of Oghma, bestowing upon him the title of loremaster. Those who rise in the service of Oghma may win various titles in different places and jurisdictions, but the most widely recognized hierarchy of ranks (in ascending order) is: Loremaster, Loremaster Amanuensis, Loremaster Venturer, Loremaster Bold, Lore-Scribe of the God, Wise Anticipator, Inspirator, Inspirator High, Atlar, Higher Atlar, Loremaster High, Loremaster Most High, Eye of Oghma, Divine Hand of Oghma. The Church of Oghma in Sembia and the Pursuers of Pure Knowledge in Mintar use the titles (in ascending order) of: Advocate, Accomplished Advocate, Loremaster of the Twelfth, Loremaster of the Eleventh (and so on up to Loremaster of the Second), Loremaster First, Loremaster High, Learned One, and Patriarch. Clergy address each other as "brother" and "sister" regardless of rank, and a polite form of address for outsiders and lay worshipers to use when dealing with any priest of Oghma is "lady (or lord) loremaster".
Dogma: Knowledge is most supreme, particularly in its raw form, the idea. An idea has no weight but can move mountains. It has no height but it can dominate a nation. It has no mass but it can push aside empires. Knowledge is the greatest tool of humankind, outweighing anything made by mortal hands. Before anything can exist, the idea must exist.
Knowledge is power, and must be used with care - but to hide it away from others is never a good thing. At least once within the passing of each moon, the clergy of Oghma should copy some information of import in written or inscribed form so that the records multiply and knowledge is not lost. Oghmanyte clergy are to stifle no new ideas, no matter how false or crazed they seem, but to let them be heard and considered freely. They must never slay a singer, nor stand by while others do so. They are to listen to new bards when they meet them and sponsor bards when they can.
A typical Oghmanyte charge to novices is: "Spread knowledge whenever it is prudent to do so. Keep no secrets for their own sake. Curb and deny falsehood, rumor, and deceitful accounts and histories whenever you encounter them. Write or copy some lore of value and give it away freely at least once a year. Hide some writings away while distributing others widely so that the written knowledge of Faerûn is larger when you leave life than when you entered it. Sponsor, assist, and teach minstrels, bards, scribes, and recordkeepers whenever you encounter them and perceive a need. Spread truth and knowledge throughout the Realms so that all folk may know more. Never deliver a message falsely or incompletely, but always just as you receive it. Teach any folk who ask how to read and write or as much of these crafts as time and tasks permit - and charge no fee for this teaching."
Day-to-Day Activities: Priests of Oghma have traditionally been of two sorts: those who remain within the temples, monasteries, and abbeys, spending their lives in analysis, reading gathered tomes, and copying out texts and spells as requested and those who go out into the world to find the writings that fill the abbey libraries. There have always been conflicts between the overly fussy pedants among the cloistered and those who chafe under the petty rules and infighting they encounter within abbey walls and prefer to face the real world as one of the wayfaring. Most abbeys of Oghma support themselves by selling maps, scribework, and spell scrolls. Wayfaring clergy are frequently sent armed with spell scrolls to trade and coin to purchase learned works and scrolls with.
Wayfaring priests who run out of abbey funds or who are independent of any abbey make their own writings from observations of Faerûn and make money by teaching, selling maps, writing poems, letters, songs, and lyrics for various patrons, and answering specific questions about Faerûn from their accumulated store of knowledge. Their map copies are always of real maps. A member of Oghma's clergy may sell a map that she or he knows to err in some respects but to be the best available, but can never knowingly sell a false map or a copy of it. An Oghmanyte is expected to publish at least one book and cause it to be delivered to at least three temples of the Wise God. Such books may be some sort of small chapbook, such as a collection of song lyrics overheard from observation of performing minstrels, or they may even be romantic fiction, so long as such works realistically portray an existing society or place in the Realms and so impart some true knowledge to the reader.
Priests of Curna are paid to give advice and draw up contracts, and they may even work directly for rich merchants, giving advice and judging the reactions of opponents of their patron during tough negotiating sessions. They receive tribute for Curna before merchants make important business deals and before the inhabitants of Durpar, Estagund, and Var the Golden embark on new ventures. The priests who work at the Library of Curna also manage and supply the teams of explorers and sages who constantly update that vast storehouse of knowledge.
Holy Days / Important Ceremonies: Midsummer and Shieldmeet are the most sacred days of the Oghmanyte calendar since they are occasions when agreements are made or renewed and many contracts, bonds, and the like are drawn up. However, a priest of Oghma must observe two solemn rituals every day: the Binding and the Covenant. The Binding is a morning service wherein the symbols of Oghma are written in the dirt, in ashes upon a stone altar, or in the mind if a clergy member happens to be shackled or otherwise unable to write, while a silent prayer of loyalty and praise is made to Oghma. The Covenant is an evening service during which a passage from some work of wisdom is read aloud or recited from memory, a song or poem is offered up to Oghma, and some item of knowledge that the clergy member has learned during that day is spoken aloud to the god and to any fellow clergy present.
In monasteries, temples, and abbeys of the Wise God, the rest of the day is typically occupied by readings aloud from great books of lore, philosophy, and history at gatherings held every two hours or so. It should be noted that almost all temples to Oghma have their own rituals that vary from one temple to the next except the Cornerstones of the Day (the Binding and the Covenant) and that many have two different sets of rituals: those for the resident clergy and those for laity and visiting clergy.
Major Centers of Worship: Candlekeep is traditionally the greatest center of learning in Faerûn, and one of the most holy places of Oghma. The Leaves of Learning temple in Highmoon (Deepingdale) is the most recently prominent center of worship., but several temples are vying for supremacy in Oghmanyte worship in Faerûn at present: the Tower of Thought in Selgaunt, where Most High Learned Priest Urdiyvan Eraen leads the Church of Oghma; the gilded Domes of Reason temple in Procampur, where High Loremaster Librarian Estember Orntalar seems to be winning a vicious power struggle to succeed the Patriarch of Procampur as leader of the Orthodoxy; and the House of Many Tomes fortified abbey in upland Impiltur, west of Songhal, where Loremaster Most Exalted Prespaerin Cadathlyn claims to have reached "a new closeness" to the Binder and has taken on the title "Binder of Faerûn" as a mark of his oneness with the god. The Font of Knowledge in Waterdeep is also notable as the most recently completed Grand Temple of Oghma. It was finished in Midsummer of the Year of the Banner (1368DR) and is led by Loremaster Most High Sandrew the Wise.
The Library of Curna in the Curna Mountains (also known as the Mountains of Wisdom) in the Shining South holds the most prominent center of scholarship and worship of Oghma in the guise of Curna. Its contents are said to differ from Candlekeep's in that they focus more on current events, business, and naturalistic studies than Candlekeep's collection, whose strength is by far in historical works.
Affiliated Orders: While the church of Oghma sponsors no military or knightly orders, it spreads its aegis over a countless number of monkish fellowships, scholarly orders of honour, guilds of naturalists and herbalists, and colleges of bardic knowledge. Some of these include the Children of the Passive Voice, an order or learned monks whose members protect many libraries and abbeys; the Order of the Gilt Laurel, an honourary society of historical fiction authors; the Fellowship of the Forest, a naturalist society; and the Companions of the Silver Strings, an order of heroic bards who acted valiantly at risk of their own lives in the service of the church of Oghma. The Oghmanyte faith also has ties with Those Who Harp (the Harpers), an organization working for good against the rise of great powers throughout Faerûn.
Priestly Vestments: All priests of Oghma have the same ceremonial dress - white shirt and trousers with a vest of black and gold brocade. The shirt sleeves are wide, but tied at the wrists. The vests, known as kantlara, depict many glyphs, sigils, runes, and symbols of magical power, arcane meaning, and significance in various realms of Faerûn down through the ages. Such markings are sewn on by the wearer using gold braid. They may be of any sort and size and are displayed on any spot on the garment that the wearer desires. At any time a priest ascends a level, she or he usually sees the symbol to be sewn in a dream vision. Kantlara are thus personal and individual garments.
Priests who lose or are separated from their kantlara are allowed to use purple or crimson vests adorned with a simple scroll of Oghma on the back and the symbol of Chelsinara on both breasts. This symbol, named for an important early priestess of the god, consists of two cupped hands, fingers uppermost and thumbs touching. It means "I learn." It is the badge of Oghma used by all who worship him, both laity and clergy, to denote their membership among the faithful.
A small boxlike hat is worn in ceremonies held on sacred grounds; off of ground Holy to Oghma it is removed. In addition to their other ceremonial garb, the priests of the breakaway Church of Oghma (in Sembia) always wear a harlequin's mask.
Adventuring Garb: In the field, Oghmanyte priests have a relaxed dress code, wearing what they choose and usually choosing as much armour as possible. The Church of Oghma (in Sembis) retains the harlequin's mask, but only within the borders of Sembia.
Priests of the Wise God are encouraged to develop any music skills they possess under the tutelage of senior clergy and bards of accomplishment, and they usually carry some sort of instrument on their persons as well as some means of writing things down. Many loremasters carry items of minor temple magic known as pens of Oghma. These are quill pens that do not break, glow at the writer's will brightly enough to see to write or read by, and generate their own endless ink: a substance that does not blotch or fade and dries instantly.

Lore Firemane, King of the Beasts, King of Lions and Strong Beasts, the Lion King, Lord of the Gulthmere Forest, Guardian of the Vilhon Reach

Demipower of the Happy Hunting Grounds, LG
PORTFOLIO: Lions, good-aligned beasts, lammasu, wemics, werelions, felines, noble beasts, royalty
ALIASES: None
DOMAIN NAME: Krigala/Pridelands
SUPERIOR: None
ALLIES: Balador, Ferrix, Gwaeron Windstrom, Lurue, Mielikki, Sharess, Shiallia, Silvanus, Tapann, Torm, Tyr, Water Lion
FOES: Malar
SYMBOL: A male lion's head or a golden lion rampant on a green shield
WOR. ALIGN.: LG, NG, CG, LN, N, CN
Nobanion (No-BAN-yun), the Lion God of Gulthmere, is viewed of the protector of that woods, the wild natives within it, and the nearby Shining Plains. He is typically portrayed as a great male lion or a majestic lammasu. He draws his power from the wild animals of the Vilhon Reach and Dragon Coast regions, particularly the great cats and wemics of the Shining Plains.
Worship of the Lion and the Unicorn, as Nobanion and Lurue are often called, is frequently lumped into the catch-all category of "beast cult." These two deities, however, differ from the tribal totel great spirits of the Uthgardt and the Ice Hunters of the North which are often cited as typical beast cult "deities," as those spirits are not divinities in their own right, serving rather as conduits for the actions of Uthgar or Ulutiu, respectively. Nobanion is a deity in his own right and always has been since he entered the Realms from another crystal sphere. However, his primary worshipers are not human, but rather animals, especially felines, strong beasts, and animals of regal bearing, and most of them do not maintain written histories or even many oral traditions. Their religion is a personal and direct faith, and until Nobanion began attracting human and humanoid worshipers, such as wemics, the ways of his religion went unrecorded and were little noticed.
Nobanion entered the Realms centuries ago through one of the many magical pools in the Weathercote Wood, each of which acts as a gate to another world on the Prime Material Plane. Lord Firemane stalked the length and breadth of the Realms for over a century before settling amidst the trees of the Gulthmere Forest with a pack of greater lammasu and claiming that land as his pridelands.
During the Time of Troubles, in a titanic combat known as the Roar of the Shadows, Nobanion and a handful of Emerald Enclave druid allies drove Malar the Stalker north and west from the region. Nobanion has since become something of a legend in the Vilhon Reach and Dragon Coast regions. After driving off Malar, Nobanion emerged from the Gulthmere Forest to roam the Shining Plains. Most of the Tenpaw Tribe of wemics joined Nobanion's Great Pride, as the Lion King's followers are collectively known, and Lord Firemane's faith rapidly spread south and west throughout the Shining Plains and beyond. (While the wemics revere him as a great warrior god, Nobanion has yet to make a significant impression on their neutral morals and ethics, though he is gradually swaying them.)
In the aftermath of the Godswar, Nobanion opened a permanent portal to the Beastlands in the heart of the Gulthmere Forest. The Lion King and his pride now split their time between their territory in the Outer Planes and the lands under his dominion in the Realms. He holds court with representatives of all the beasts, great and small, in both realms, and he serves as king over those who accept his benevolent sovereignty.
Nobanion and Sharess get along well because of their mutual feline natures, but Nobanion finds himself frequently annoyed at Sharess's inability to focus on long-term plans and her constant innuendo-laden teasing. he is on good terms with most of the animal lords of the Beastlands, Water Lion, Balador (lord of werebears), Ferrix (lady of weretigresses), Tapann (god of korreds), and most of the nature deities of Faerûn. He hates Malar with a passion as the perversion of all that is noble and natural in beasts, and he would hunt Malar to extermination if he had the resources to do it. Gwaeron Windstrom and he share this hatred, and they sometimes coordinate their efforts against Malar.
Nobanion also gets along well with Torm and Tyr and sees himself as trying to emulate among beasts what they strive for among humans; however, both these powers are too busy with human affairs to have developed a relationship with Nobanion beyond cordial acquaintance. Nobanion and Lurue have a long-standing alliance and deep friendship that has stood for many centuries, and their relationship is one that Nobanion counts upon most when he needs to get an outside viewpoint on a problem or is troubled or depressed.
Nobanion radiates both power and gentleness. His roar is deafening, and when he chooses to exert the full force of his charisma, his regal majesty is overwhelming, yet the tinest creature who approaches him in good faith finds itself comfortable in his presence. He tries to lead his pride to do what is noble and right, but does not force his faithful to pursue that path. He deeply wants those under his rule to willingly choose good over evil, action over inaction, and order over chaos. He does not command from the rear and would never ask someone to do something he would not be willing to do himself, including laying down his life for another.
Other Manifestations
Nobanion often manifests as a lion's roar that seems to emanate from everywhere and rumble across the landscape. If he so desires, he can create a roar of the king effect emanating from any feline, no matter how small.
Nobanion sometimes appears to his worshipers as a great lion's head outlined in a mane of amber and scarlet flickering fire. In this form he can also unleash the roar of the king effect discussed previously for his avatar.
Nobanion is served by good major incarnates and charity, courage, faith, justice, temperance, and wisdom minor incarnates, androsphinxes, dragonnes, lammasu, greater lammasu, and great cats of all sorts, including leomarhs, lions, mountain lions, sea lions, thylacines, and tigers. He is said to love fine poetry and song and to have a particular sentimental fondness for pastries and sweetmeats, cinnamon, rice candies from far Kara-Tur, and sweetened concoctions made from Maztican cocoa, cream, and butter, in addition to liking a good cut of meat.
The Church
CLERGY: Clerics, specialty priests, crusaders, shamans
CLERGY'S ALIGN.: LG, NG, LN, N
TURN UNDEAD: C: Yes, SP: No, Cru: No, Sha: Yes, if good
CMND. UNDEAD: C: No, SP: No, Cru: No, Sha: Yes, if neutral or evil
All clerics, specialty priests, crusaders, and shamans of Nobanion receive religion (Faerûnian) as a bonus nonweapon proficiency. In addition to becoming shamans, wemics in the service of Nobanion may become clerics, crusaders, or specialty priests. Nobanion is not served by any witch doctors.
Worship of Nobanion is scattered throughout the Vilhon Reach, Dragon Coast, and Shining Plains regions, but Lord Firemane is venerated primarily within the confines of the Gulthmere Forest, in the city of Nathlekh, and among the wemics of the Shining Plains. In the Gulthmere Forest, Nobanion is the much-beloved monarch of the beasts and the wild natives within. Those who serve another lord, such as the druids of the Emerald Enclave and the inhabitants of Cedarsproke, are expected to live in harmony with the Lion King's laws nonetheless. On the Shining Plains, he is honored as the titular ruler of the Tenpaw tribe. Across the Vilhon Reach region, he is seen as the great protector and the guardian against Malar the Stalker.
Aside from his temple in the city of Nathlekh, Nobanion is worshiped at simple shrines, not elaborate hosues of worship. Shrines to the Lion God of the Gulthmere are often difficult to locate, since they are carried by nomads or tribes of wemics who migrate with the seasons (which makes it all the more difficult for Malar's clergy to seek vengeance for their god's defeat during the Time of Troubles). Such shrines are typically set up atop granite outcroppings or beneath solitary trees on the savanna.
Clergy of the Lion God, known as the Pride of Nobanion, are not given to elaborate titles. Specialty priests are known as firemanes and are commonly referred to as Lights of the Lion's Mane. Clerics and crusaders are known as Roaring Avengers, while shamans are addressed as Speakers of the Paw and Roar. Lammasu and greater lammasu are considered part of the clergy and are addressed as Elders and Reverend Elders, respectively.
Dogma: Hunt only when hungry and do not gorge without need. Waste nothing and all shall have plenty. The cycle of life links all living things into one being and that being is life itself. The law of the jungle is that only the strong survive, but they survive best by being leaders, not tyrants, and by protecting the weak, not bullying them. All creatures have their strengths in their assigned roles and should be encouraged to find their niche. From cooperation between beings of differing strengths comes the strength of teamwork and community, the strongest force of all. By demonstrating compassion and tolerance and living within the land, all living creatures may find harmony with nature and one another. By staying true to oneself and one's pride and conducting oneself with dignity and honor, the respect of one's peers may be earned.
Much of what is known of Nobanion's teachings has been filtered through the wemics and is colored by their racial tendencies into a harsher dogma than is presented above. Their interpretation of Nobanion's teachings is more along the lines of "Only the strong survive," "Live and let live unless provoked," and "Protect the pride and all its members, but if injury or illness bring one of them down, allow him or her a swift and painless end to suffering." Nobanion hopes that as more beings of other species flock to his church, his message will be more clearly transmitted.
Day-to-Day Activities: The Pride of Nobanion fill leadership roles in many communities where the Lion God is revered. Many serve as benevolent monarchs, judges, militia, constables, or as guardians against evil. The vanguard of armies loyal to Nobanion is typically filled with clerics and crusaders of the Lion King. Others teach their hunting or martial skills to the young, while passing along moral instruction and important traditions both by word and deed.
Among the wemic tribes of the Shining Plains, Nobanion's shamans are typically powerful leaders, second only to the chieftain or king. They are responsible for choosing which creatures to hunt, blessing the kill, and confirming the passage of young members of the pride into adulthood.
Holy Days/Important Ceremonies: Two major religious observances are held each year for Nobanion, and they are always exactly three and one half months apart. Their spacing is representative of the gestation period of the lion.
The Festival of the Pride normally takes place during the first week of Ches. This is a time for frolicking, dancing, courting a mate, lovemaking, and generally celebrating the bounty of life and its potential. Religious belief promises that a child/cub conceived this night will go on to become ruler of the church/pride.
The Newborn Celebration always takes place during the third week of Kythorn. This ceremony celebrates the birth (or rebirth-church teachings are vague) of Nobanion, the prominence of lions in the Vilhon Reach, and the importance of the hunt in the region. It is marked by a great hunt and a great feast. Newborns undergo the Rite of the First Blooding where their right paw (or hand) is placed in the blood of the prey and blessed by a priest of Nobanion.
Major Centers of Worship: Deep in the Gulthmere Forest is the village of Gurnth, inhabited by human followers of the Lion God. The inhabitants live the "life of teh cats," following the tenets of Nobanion. The villagers worship Nobanion at the nearby Machran Spire, a mountainous outcropping of granite from which Nobanion is said to have held court on numerous occasions. Lammasu and greater lammasu are said to reside on the Spire most of the year, and the priests of Nobanion in residence are believed to include numerous werelions among their ranks. Any worshiper of Nobanion who spends the night atop the Spire is said to receive the benefits of a heal or regenerate spell, as needed.
Nathlekh, City of Cats, is located at the western end of the Gulthmere Forest and the northern edge of the Shining Plains on the banks of the Lake of the Long Arm. Overrun with felines of all breeds, this city is loosely governed by the Council of the Cat Lords. Numerous werecats, werelions, and weretigers are citizens of Nathlekh in addition to the mysterious Cat Lords who rules. Twin temples of Nobanion and Sharess dominate the religious activity of the city, although a temple of Malar the Beastlord is rumored to exist in the city's catacombs.
The Pride of Nobanion, his temple in Nathlekh, is a vast pillared structure built on the city's acropolis. Constructed to evoke the impression that it is a natural extension of the granite plug extending up from the city's heart, this porticoed and colonnaded structure is festooned with statues of lions in various natural poses. Numerous real lions wander the temple's halls and gardens, but they never molest the citizenry unless provoked. Nathlekh's judiciary, a trio of greater lammasu, holds court within the Pride of Nobanion on a weekly basis.
Affiliated Orders: The Legion of Lions is a military order of wemic firemanes, clerics, and crusaders. In the aftermath of the Time of Troubles, this unorthodox fellowship of beast knights was founded by Karrlon, formerly a scout of the Mindulgulph Mercenary Company and now a crusader who fights for the Lion God's standard. Thought small in number, this elite fighting company has quickly become the champion of good-aligned beasts throughout the Realms and the bane of Malarites everywhere. In addition to the main company, individual members often join adventuring companies of disparate races to see more of the world and spread the faith of Nobanion.
Priestly Vestments: Priests of Nobanion have little in the way of formal raiment. Typically they garb themselves in cloaks made from the hide of a gazelle or antelope and wear a necklace of the teeth and claws of vaniquished opponents around their neck. Their symbol is a single, unblinking lion's eye which each priest pains on his or her forehead. Priests also often depict the face of Nobanion on their robes in stitchery, beadwork, or quillwork or on their chests in paints or as a tattoo.
Adventuring Garb: When adventuring, the Pride of Nobanion select armor and weapons as appropriate for the foe they expect to face. Although they may wear any type of armor available, many eschew armor altogether or wear hide armor fashioned from beasts they themselves have hunted. A few powerful wemic priests have commissioned (for a minimum of 1,000 gp) a hybrid plate mail and chain mail suit of armor that resembles conventional human armor for their upper half and barding for their lower half, giving them an effective AC of 4.

The Lady of Mysteries, the Mother of All Magic, Our Lady of Spells

Greater Power of Elysium
NG
PORTFOLIO: Magic, spells, the Weave
ALIASES: Midnight, Mystryl, the Hidden One (Rashemen)
DOMAIN NAME: Eronia/Dweomerheart
SUPERIOR: None
ALLIES: Azuth, Kelemvor, Selûne, Oghma, Deneir, Milil
FOES: Cyric, Bane (now dead), Talos
SYMBOL: A circle of nine stars, with a red mist rising toward (or flowing from) its center or a circle of seven blue-white stars, or (older) a single blue-white star
WOR. ALIGN.: Any
Mystra (MISS-trah) is the goddess of magic and with that the goddess of possibilities, which makes her arguably the most powerful deity in Faerûn and possibly throughout Realmspace. She is said to have taught the first spellcaster of the Realms, and to have enabled many of the races to use magic. She supposedly weighs and judges each new spell or magical item to determine whether it should be permitted into the Realms. She is most venerated by wizards and those who use magic or magical items in their daily use. She differs from Azuth in that Azuth is the god of wizards (as to a much lesser degree, all spellcasters), while Mystra is the goddess of the essential force that makes all spellcasting possible. She provides and tends the Weave, the conduit to enable mortal spellcasters and magical crafters to safely access the raw force that is magic. Mystran advisers are common in Azuthian churches, and vice versa.
During the Time of Troubles, the former incarnation of the goddess of magic, Mystra, was destroyed and her essence merged with that of the land itself. A new goddess of magic, arising from the human form of the magician Midnight, took the mantle of divinity and the goddess's portfolio. At this time, the goddess of magic's alignment shifted from lawful neutral, maintaining the balance in use of magic, to neutral good, reflecting the new incarnation's attitudes toward the uses and purpose of magic. Rather than forcing her worshipers to change their ways, Midnight has taken a conservative, long-term strategy by assuming the name and trappings of her predecessor to make the change as smooth as possible for her church and worshipers. Midnight is now revered within the church as the human avatar of Mystra, and her form now graces the avatar of the goddess when she walks the Realms seeking to rebalance the dead and wild magic areas of the land.
In the past, Mystra contested with Talos and Gond as rivals and with both Bane, and later, Cyric over attempts to control or usurp her power. She despises Cyric.
Mystra is fond of Kelemvor, Lord of the Dead, who was her love during her mortal life. Whether their relationship will again blossom into love is yet to be seen. She is aided in her work by Azuth, Dornal the Watcher, and by her Chosen: Elminster, Khelben "Blackstaff" Arunsun, and the Seven Sisters. (The powers of the Chosen are discussed extensively in The Seven Sisters accessory.) Mystra is also served by the Magister, a title borne by a single mortal worker of the magical arts chosen by victory in one-on-one spell combat to be champion of magic. The Magister is also one of the Chosen of Mystra. The current Magister, Lady Magister Nouméa, was elevated to the position in 1354 DR.
Other Manifestations
Mystra's typical manifestation is as a blue-white, pulsing glow on items, beings, or places that the goddess wishes to draw attention to, such as a hidden door or item. She also appears as a slender, graceful, disembodied human female hand outlined in blue-white motes of light that points, gestures, writes, inscribes lines on stone with one finger—often writing the tomb inscription of a powerful dead mage as an obscure clue—or unleashes spells.
Mystra has also been known to use agathinons (in natural and magical item forms); devas; maruts; light aasimons; einheriar (former wizards and other prominent users of magic); hope, faith, and courage incarnates; radiant mephits; guardinals of all sorts, hollyphants; gem and metallic dragons (including steel and mercury dragons); pseudodragons; selkies; bluejays; sparrowhawks; white cats, dogs, donkeys, horses, pegasi, unicorns, and mules (all with blue or mismatched eyes); blue and clear gemstones of all sorts; rainbow tourmalines; amarathas; rogue stones; beljurils; and small creatures composed of translucent magical force to demonstrate her approval or disapproval or to send aid to her faithful.
The Church
CLERGY: Clerics, Specialty Priests, Wizards, Bards
CLERGY'S ALIGN.: LG, NG, CG, LN, CN, LE
TURN UNDEAD: C: Yes, if good or neutral, SP: Yes, M: No, B: No
CMND. UNDEAD: C: Yes, if evil, SP No, M: No, B: No
All clerics and specialty priests of Mystra receive religion (Faerûnian) as a bonus nonweapon proficiency. All priests of Mystra are granted weaveglow (see below) upon their initiation.
Most worshipers of the Lady of Mysteries are human, but all natives of Faerûn who seek to become powerful in magic without benefit of divine aid must at least appease the goddess with sacrifices. (Burning items that have temporarily been enchanted with a spell is the easiest way to do this.) Wizards, especially good wizards, hold her name in special veneration, even if they primarily worship Azuth or some other deity.
All wielders of magic and seekers after arcane lore of any race are welcome in the service of Mystra. The hierarchy of the Mystran faith is wide and varied, separating into orders concentrating on one form of magical energy or another. Clerics, specialty priests, wizards, and bards can all he found in its ranks without regard to experience level or origin. The general rule of the Mystran faith is that talent and ability for the job outweighs social rank or legendary feats. Only those clergy members who gain their spells directly from a higher power gain their spells directly from the goddess, but all are welcome within the church's hierarchy. Relations between the various orders and subgroups of the faith are very good. The priests of Mystra are known as Servants of Mystery. Higher level priests, both those with title and lands and legendary adventuring priests, are called Ladies or Lords of Mystery. Titles within the faith vary from temple to temple and follow no standard form across the whole of the church, though most temples are rigidly self-consistent.
Mystran temples can be structures of almost any size or style, and some shrines are natural carves or special grottoes. Through the grace of the goddess, Mystran priests who stand in a place sacred to Mystra can cast spells for the maximum possible damage, duration, or extent of effect (their choice of which). Such places include all Mystran temples and shrines, and most private spellcasting chambers.
All priests of Mystra can cause their own flesh—all of it, or specific areas, such as a hand—to glow at will with a soft, blue-white radiance as a boon from Mystra. This radiance, known as weaveglow, is enough to read by or to allow a priest to clearly see items and surroundings within 5 feet. Most Mystrans keep this sign of the favor of the goddess secret from nonbelievers. As something mysterious, it is more useful, allowing them, for example, to feign affliction or magical attack. Weaveglow is granted to priests after their initiation, which is often a Starflight ceremony.
Dogma: Choice, decision, and knowledge, leavened with a healthy dose of good for the most individuals, are the hallmarks of Mystra's faith. Magic is great power, and it brings with it great responsibility. Mystra's clergy are given the following charge upon aspiring to the faith:
"Love magic for itself, not just as a ready weapon to reshape the Realms to your will. Learn when not to use your magic, and you will have learned true wisdom. Play with magic and learn how best to wield it, but not when the price is paid by others. Strive to use magic less and less as your powers develop, not more and more; often the threat and promise of Art outstrips its performance.
"Remember always that magic is an Art, the Gift of the Lady, and that those who can wield it are privileged in the extreme. Conduct yourself humbly, not proudly, while being mindful of this.
"Use magic deftly and efficiently; eschew carelessness and recklessness in the unleashing of Art. When magic imperils you, hide it or hurl it away into other planes rather than destroy it, for any destruction of Art is a sin.
"Seek always both to learn new magic and to create new magic, but experimenting to learn to craft something oneself is better than merely buying scrolls or hiring tutors. Exult more in creation than in hurling spells, and ensure that your creations are shared with others and so outlive you. Those who succeed in this last and in maturing into true wisdom and consideration for the greater balance of things in Faerûn in the use of Art are most favored in the eyes of the Lady and will serve her beyond death as beings who have become one with magic and live on in it forever."
Day-to-Day Activities: Mystran clergy work hard to preserve all magical lore in secret libraries, private safeholds, well-guarded research laboratories, and small, hidden stashes so that magic flourishes in the future regardless of what befalls the thinking races of Faerûn or the powers of the planes. Mystrans also search out beings skilled in spell use, seeking to keep watch on the identities, powers, and behavior of individuals likely to become magic-wielders of importance.
Not everyone can find old magic of note, but all clergy of Mystra can devise their own new magic upon gaining sufficient experience, and they are expected to do so. In this way magical study remains a growing, vibrant thing, and magic does not merely become a handy power to serve rulers and engineers as a tool to tame the Realms, but remains a thing of wonder.
Holy Days/Important Ceremonies: In Waterdeep, the church of Mystra celebrates Gods' Day on the 15th of Marpenoth, the anniversary of Midnight's elevation to divinity as the new Mystra, with a huge festival centered around the House of Wonder that ends in magical fireworks that go long into the night. This holiday is being gradually adopted by shrines and temples of Mystra throughout Faerûn.
On the whole, though, the worship of Mystra tends to be a personal thing rather than a series of calendar rituals. For some mages whom the goddess counts as devout believers, it never goes beyond a whispered prayer of thanks to her with each spell they cast coupled with some thought as to the moral consequences of the use of this or that spell. For Mystra, that is enough. The goddess gains both delight and strength, however, from beings who do more in reverence to her. Two ceremonies of personal significance stand out: Starflight and Magefire.
Starflight is often used as an initiation when an individual joins the priesthood of Mystra or a celebration when two worshipers are wed. It is a special ceremonial cooperative magic worked by several priests that empowers one of the faithful to fly so long as stars are visible in the sky. This can make long journeys easy, provide a joyous change of pace, serve as a special means of looking over the land, achieve privacy for important discussions, place one of the faithful a safe distance away from precious things in order to try hurling spectacular spells, or provide a very special beginning for one's marriage.
Magefire is renewal; it is the exciting feeling of great magical power surging through one's body, blazing out as flickering blue fire as it spills forth, cleansing and renewing. With enough clergy powering it, this cooperative ceremonial magic can heal all sorts of fell conditions. Mystrans describe it as "the most blissful feeling one can know." It is spectacular to watch. The Mystran to he affected lies down on the ground and the circle of celebrants pours power into the worshiper—until his or her body, blazing with blue fire, slowly rises to hang in midair above those fueling the ceremony, humming and crackling with the power of the magic surging through it. Magefire often ends in a Starflight ceremony, provided the celebrants intone the correct incantation.
The Hymn to the Lady is a solemn ritual performed at funerals and magemoots, that calls up visions of dead mages and Mystran clergy as a plainsong dirge is intoned by the living clergy present. Mystra often uses these visions to insert her own guiding scenes. A modified Magefire ceremony may be employed at the end of the Hymn to raise the honored dead aloft into a floating pyre on high.
Major Centers of Worship: On the wooded eastern verge of Elventree stands a ruined, overgrown stone hall known as the House of Mysteries. It is reportedly the strongest place of power to Mystra in all Faerûn (along with the nearby Harper refuge, the House of the Harp).
Those who enter the House of Mysteries say that the inside is like a sound-eating dark void where soft voices whisper and glowing, varicolored motes of light drift about. No spell can illuminate this darkness, and out of it comes the Voice of the Goddess (or a senior devotee) answering questions with cryptic advice, identifying items apparently without need of spells, and (rarely) altering supplicants with spells that come "out of nowhere." Word of such puissant divine aid and guidance has spread swiftly across Faerûn, and wizards from distant realms indeed have come to Elventree in search of grandeur.
The largest temple to Mystra in all the Realms is located in Mt. Talath in Halruaa. It occupies an entire cavern complex, and its high priestess, Lady of Mystery Greila Sontoin, is very old but still capable of performing powerful ceremonies and casting mighty spells. The grand temple of the complex is open to all who want to worship, but the storerooms and libraries are only open to Halruaans of proven good intentions and of Mystra's faith. Non-Halruaans are sometimes admitted to certain libraries and halls deemed to contain nonsensitive items and reference works, but usually such admittance is at the price of a very steep admission fee.
Affiliated Orders: Most wizards and bards in the Mystran church are members of the clergy and belong to no special order, though the church of Mystra has close ties with Those Who Harp (the Harpers), an organization working for good and against the rise of great powers throughout Faerûn. Those bards who are not clergy members belong to the Children of the Starry Quill and often work as information gatherers and rumormongers for the church or spend part of their time in designated libraries unearthing magical knowledge and then preserving it for posterity. Some members of the Starry Quill are also Harpers.
The church also sponsors a knightly order of paladins and a small order of rangers. The paladins, the Knights of the Mystic Fire, are granted their spells by Mystra. They often accompany members of the clergy on quests to locate lost hoards of ancient magic and also form the cadre from which the leadership for the small groups of armed forces who guard Mystra's larger temples and workshops is drawn. The rangers, known as the Order of the Shooting Star, also receive their spells from Mystra. They serve as long-range scouts and spies for the church and also deal with magical threats that threaten the natural order of things, such as unloosed tanar'ri and baatezu and creatures born of irresponsible wizardly experimentation.
Priestly Vestments: The ceremonial garb of Mystran priests is simple blue robes that are sometimes trimmed with white. They are accented by a cloak of deep blue in colder climates. Some form of headgear is required, though this may range from a simple blue skullcap for the scholarly orders of the Sword Coast North to wide, ornate, blue hats and helms in southern lands.
Mystra's symbol was a blue-white star before the coming of the Avatars and now is a circle of stars in a ring, with a red mist rising toward (or flowing from) the center. Both symbols are still in use. Mystran priests are very tolerant of the older symbology and beliefs in Mystra, as they feel that one may only press forward by learning about the past. They let established symbols of the old Mystran faith stand, but when creating new symbols, they always use the new sigil of their goddess.
Adventuring Garb: In the field, priests of Mystra wear armor and bear the new symbol of Mystra on their shields as a display of their faith. If armor is inappropriate, they dress in the fashion of the land they inhabit appropriate for the inclement weather.

Lord of Song, the Lord of All Songs, Guardian of Singers and Troubadours, the One True Hand of All-Wise Oghma

Lesser Power of the Happy Hunting Grounds
NG
PORTFOLIO: Poetry, song, eloquence
ALIASES: None
DOMAIN NAME: Brux/Library of All Knowledge
SUPERIOR: Oghma
ALLIES: Oghma, Deneir, Lliira, Sune, Mystra, Finder Wyvernspur, Stillsong, Hanali Celanil, Corellon Larethian, Serhanine Monnbow, Rillifane Rallathil, Erevan Ilesere, Labelas Enoreth, Lathander
FOES: None
SYMBOL: A silver harp, often depicted as a five-stringed instrument whose body is made of silvery leaves
WORSHIPPERS ALIGNMENT: Any
Milil (Mihl-LiLL) is depicted in religious art and song as a handsome male human or elf with a charismatic manner and a haunting, melodic voice. He is venerated by human, elf, and half-elf bards, who see him as the One Who Watches While Music is Alive (when they are performing), the Guardian of Singers and Troubadours, and the One True Hnad of All-Wise Oghma. (Deneir is the other "Hand.") Deneir, Gond, and Milil serve Oghma, though Milil has little in common with Gond, and their relationship is strained. He is on excellent terms with a number of powerful gods, including Mysta and Sune, and often works closely with Lliira. He is welcome in the elf pantheon as well as the Faerunian pantheon because of the beauty of his song.
Milil is the ulimate performer: self-confident, inspired, possessed of total recall or anything he sets a mind to remember, able to improvise facilely out of desire or necessity, well-educated in general theories of conduct and broad areas of knowledge, and masterful in all sorts of performance technique (including a passing knowledge of disguise derived from costume theory), especially within his sphere of knowledge--music, poetry, and elegant speech. However, he is also self-centered and egotistical and likes to be the center of attention. When he is not the center of attention, he bores easily, and his mind wanders or he leaves. He is also given to flirtation with both deities and mortals for his own enjoyment, to deep annoyance of more sober powers.
Other Manifestations
Milil often manifests as haunting music, particularly in clearing deep in woodlands. He appears as a wordless, lone male voice soaring through the air where no singer can be seen. At times, Milil draws the image of two dancing hollyphants in the air in glowing yellow lines or in ink (that appears from nowhere) on parchment to signify his approval. This seems to indicate his delight in watching such creatures dance to his music. More often, Milil manifests as a radiance surrounding a bard, storyteller, or epic poet in the throes of inspiration--a sight always heralding a performance that moves an audience to tears, blind obedience, enthusiastic offerings of money, or whatever else the performer desires them to do. Milil often places helpful visions (mental pictures of the whereabouts of treasure, lost loved ones, or directions overland) in the mind of a singer or musician who pleases him.
Milil also acts through the appearance or presence of aasimar (all accomplished singers), hollyphants, light aasimons, movanic devas, and solars. More commonly he sends songbirds (especially nightingales), white horses or pegasi, calico cats, red or yellow roses, lilies, peonies, perfect gemstones or any sort, and peregrine falcons to show his favor and as a sign to inspire his faithful.
The Church
CLERGY: Clerics, Specialty Priests, Mystics, Bards, Spellsingers
CLERGY'S ALIGNMENT: LG, NG, CG, LN, N, CN
TURN UNDEAD: Cleric: Yes, Specialty Priest: Yes, Mystic: No, Bard: No, Spellsinger: No
COMMAND UNDEAD: Cleric: No, Specialty Priest: No, Mystic: No, Bard: No, Spellsinger: No
All cleric, specialty priests, and mystics of Milil receive religion (Faerunian) as a bonus nonweapon proficiency. All priests must take singing and musical instrument as two of their initial nonweapon proficiencies.
Milil attracts those who love music--and who need to be a part of it, no merely listeners. Such folk tend to be sensualists. They love good wine, good food, pleasing art and architectural or natural surroundings, the amorous company of others, and the beauties of nature--many faithful of Milil enjoy rising before the sun to watch the wakening radiance. For reasons lost in the mists of time, all clergy of Milil are known as Sorlyn (probably after a founding patriarch of the faith), and specialty priests of the faith are called tuneservants. Both genders are represented fairly equally in the faith, and the ranks of the clergy are about two-thirds human, with a quarter of the remnant being elves, and the remainder half-elves. Sorlyn all tend to be charsmatic and physically attractive. All are also good singers skilled in the use of at least one musical instrument. Additionally, many are accomplished composers and musicians or even dancers. They tend to be active perfomers and travelers, not recluses or cloistered scriveners.
About half of the total priesthood of Milil are clerics, the remainder being specialty priests with a few bards, mystics, and spellsingers in the service of the Lord of All Song. In general, before the Godswar the priests in the larger cities, with more organized churches beneath them, were clerics, while the churches in more remote areas were commanded by tuneservants; however, the number of tuneservants in the faith has been growing steadily since the Time of Troubles. Relations between the clerics and the specialty priests are good, though the more conservative clerics are a bit concerned about recurring incidents of tuneservants using their enthrall and suggestion powers to enhance their own status and the tuneservants' continual support of "ner'er-do-wells" (adventurers). A quick way to determine whether a local temple of Milil is run by a cleric or a tuneservant is to listen to its music. All temples of Milil have very good choirs, songmasters, organists, and/or musicians, but the type of music varies. Clerics tend to play traditional songs and hymns while tuneservants prefer newer works, some of which may be disconcerting to the parishoners.
Milil's is an organized faith, with all churches paying heed (or at least lip service) to the Patriarch of Song in Waterdeep. Unfortunately, the influence of the Patriarch diminishes with distance, such that those congregations in Sembia tend to pay attention only to the most urgent messages.
Sorlyn adhere to clear rules and an organized hierarchy. They use the titles (in ascending order of rank) of: Mute One (novice), Chanter, Chorister, Soloiest, Lead Voice, First Voice, Songmaster, and Glorian--a title used by all senior clergy in addition to any temple rank of office they may also hold. Typical temple ranks include Castellan, Master Tutor, Master Wind, Master Serenader, Master Librarian, Master Instrumentalist, Prior, and Patriarch. The specialty priests of the faith address each other as Harmonian, regardless of rank or accomplishments, and are noticeably (and acceptably) lax about using the formal titles of other clergy members--except the Patriarch of Song, who they revere profoundly.
The mysterious Patriarch of Song appears as an old man with kindly features, a flowing white beard, and ice-blue eyes. He is probably the best harpist in the world. His knobby old hands are able to make a harp sing, moan, drone, and almost seem to talk, as well as emitting the more usual sounds of such an instrument. His voice is a magnificent baritone, though, he has a falsetto that seems like the clear, high voice of a young elf girl or very young human maiden. His true name and origins have been forgotten, but he has adopted various names--and appearanes-- in recent years, even apparently switching gender from time to time at the command of the Lord of All Songs. He is rumored to be ablt to enthrall intelligent beings with a song so beautiful that they enter a trance and hear only the music soaring endlessly in their heads until freed by rough handling. Sorlyn believe he has been given speical powers by Milil beyond his apparent immortality, and that as long as he survives, music in Faerun will grow and flourish. Legend insists that the Patriarch flits about the Realms from time to time insiring youthful and promising singers by showing up at their local tavern as an old minstrel and givning a performance that leaves everyone present weeping and yet bright-eyed with hope.
Mililan temples are soaring, catherdrals of spledid architecture. All of them have choir lofts, facilities for presenting stage performances, workshops for the repair and construction of musical instruments, extensive music libraries, and carefully crafted acoustics.
Dogma: Milil is a god of creativity and inspiration, of the whole song more than just the lyrics or the music. He represents the finished thought, the process that takes an idea from conception to completion. As a result, the ethos of Milil teaches to consider the world in terms of a continuing process, a song that begins at birth and is only silenced with the final chord.
Novices in the Mililan faith are given the following charge: "Life is a song: Strive always to make it more beautiful. Destory no music nor instrument, nor stop a singer before the tune is done. Listen to the world around as well as filling it with you own sound. One singer's music is another's noise, and musicianship always. Sing to Milil everyday. Music is the most precious thing folks can create--so encourage its training, use, and preservation at all times and in all possible ways. Awaken a love of song in all folks you can, and offer its performance freely around campfire or on the trail. Cease not in your own seeking for new tunes, new techniques, and new instruments to master."
Day-to-Day Activities: Most Sorlyn spend their time learning lyrics, tunes, and how best to perform them on a slowly expanding repertoire of instruments both in their temple and on the road. They take care to write down both original compositions and those they have learned, as well as recording tunes through the use of the singing stones spell for those as yet unborn. Such records are to be cached in hiding as well as stored in temple vaults to make the survival of the music as likely as possible. Sorlyn also work as tutors to all who profess faith in Milil or who pay for the training, as well as judging many bardic contests and adjudicating bardic disputes between individuals, companies, or colleges.
Tunesevants are more adventurous. They roam the roads of Faerun rescuing or protecting common minstrels and great bards alike when such individuals fall on hard times or into peril. They also accompany adventurers of other faiths on deeds of heroism so that they can compose ballads about what befell (from "Brave Sir Dobbyn Ran Away" to "She Was Only a Wanton Weredragon, But She Was a Fair Lady"). They also embark on adventures of their own to recover music, instruments, and the like from old ruins and tombs, or learn of music long gone by using their stone tell abilities and similar magics is such places.
Holy Days/Important Ceremonies: Devout worshipers of Milil call out to him in a Song of Praise at least once a day and usually also after every victory of battle or great thing that benefits them. They also participate in either a personal song to the Lord of All Songs upon awakening or (in a temple) join in the softly voiced chorus of the Sunrise Song. Other rituals include the solemn, beautiful polyphonic chord-singing of the Song of Sorrowing, performed at the funeral of any faithful of Milil, and the Song of Welcoming, sung when someone is welcomed into the faith. The calendar-related festivals marked by rituals sacred to Milil are Greengrass, when the Call to the Flowers is sung by all faithful, and Midsummer, when the Grand Revel is held. The Revel involves a feast, dancing, and much roistering, and is marked by parodies and wickedly satirical song, but all other shared (by two or more clergy members and laity) rituals of worship to Milil involve a sung or played opening call, a prayer and solo song while kneeling before the altar, a unison hymn followed by a sermon or supplication to the Lord of Song (and the proffering of any offerings), and then a closing song that rises to a thunderous, grand cresendo that typically makes devout listeners or participants weep with joy-- and those of other faiths stop and listen in wonder.
Major Centers of Worship: The most significant temple to Milil is currently Arbalest's House in Athkatla (Amn), whence Milil journeyed during the Time of Troubles to personally found a singing circle. The Lord of Song charged the Patriarch of Song, the aged overlord of his church, to oversee this new temple's development. The Patriarch remains active in encouraging the faith in Waterdeep (notably the rising Temple of Good Cheer and the bards' college of New Olamn) and journeys often by means of a secret gate created by Milil between the hilltop temple in Athkatla, with its mightly Bellows of Milil organ and its growing circle of adherent bards and minstrels, and his own abode in Waterdeep.
Affiliated Orders: Milil has one knightly order of personable (and sometimes swaggering) fighters, padalins, and bards, the Harmonious Order, whose members, along with the clergy, guard temples and holy sites. Its members also often pursue quests or do good works in Milil's name, and tuneservants love to accompany them on these romantic and glorious quests. Though Milil's symbol is the silver harp, his symbol is not meant to directly link him to the Harpers, who use the cresent moon and harps; however, the church of Milil does have ties to Those Who Harp.
Priestly Vestments: Sorlyn wear robes of rich, lustrous fabic--usually crimson adorned with cloth-of-gold dragons, bards, or warriors arching and spiraling the length of the garment. Metal chimes are often worn as earrings, anklets, or on bracelets when outdoors, but these are always easily removable so not to mar music-making. Hair is worn short or-- in case of tuneservants-- bound up in a golden hair-net so as not to get in the way of playing instruments or listening acutely. Their holy symbol can take the form of a real harp or the symbol of Milil formed into an artfully crafted piece of jewerly.
Adventuring Garb: Sorlyn prefer the security of full (often chased and ornamented) armor when adventuring or traveling overland in dangerous regions, and defend themselves with magic, maces, and enchanted musical instruments. Song has its place, but in a world full of orcs, dragons, and critics, it is best to be prepared for anything.

Our Lady of the Forest, the Supreme Ranger, Daughter to Silvanus

Intermediate Power of the Happy Hunting Grounds, NG
PORTFOLIO: Forests, forest creatures, rangers, dryads, autumn
ALIASES: Khelliara (Rashemen)
DOMAIN NAME: Krigala/The Grove of the Unicorns
SUPERIOR: Silvanus
ALLIES: Eldath, Silvanus, Shiallia, Gwaeron Windstrom, Lurue the Unicorn, Chauntea, Shaundakul, Lathander
FOES: Malar, Talona, Talos, Moander (now dead), Myrkul (now dead)
SYMBOL: A white unicorn on a green field, a white unicorn's head facing sinister, or a tiny star of dazzling white hue balanced on an open, lush green oak or ash leaf (older)
WOR. ALIGN.: LG, NG, CG, LN, N, CN
Mielikki (My-LEE-kee) is the Lady of the Forest, the goddess of the woods and those creatures who live within them. She is the patron of rangers in the same way that Oghma is the patron of bards. Until recently, Miellkki made her home on the Prime Material plane, and so was unharmed by the Time of Troubles, though the presence of so many other gods in the Realms gave her followers great difficulties. In the confusion following the Time of Troubles, she also gathered autumn into her portfolio, away from the dead Myrkul. She is worshiped by humans, elves, half-elves, and dryads alike. The Lady of the Forest is fond of wandering the woods of all of Faerun, although her faithful are concentrated in northern Faerun.
Mielikki is allied with and in the service of Silvanus, and with the growing power of that god, she was being diminished in her own right. In 1369 DR, she radically reorganized her priesthood, and the boost in power this gave her has forestalled her decline, and allowed her to establish her own realm in the Outer Planes for the first time. Her followers had already added the title "Daughter to Silvanus" to her other names previous to this point as an honorarium, causing some confusion since she is not Silvanus's daughter. Inaccurate legends have since grown up to explain the title in which Mielikki is said to be the offspring of dalliance between Silvanus and Hanali Celanil, the elf goddess of romantic love and beauty.
Mielikki serves Silvanus alongside Eldath. She considers Eldath to be almost her sister, and Silvanus a father figure. All three powers work closely and lovingly together, and this relationship is reflected in their churches and clergy also. Mielikki herself is assisted by three divine beings of lesser power: Lurue, Gwaeron Windstrom, and Shiallia. On rare occasions when Mielikki rides into battle, Lurue the Unicorn serves as her mount, and Gwaeron Windstrom, who can track infallibly through any conditions, in or on any terrain, aids her on some missions and teaches her rangers the way to read forest signs. Shiallia, a local nature deity of the High Forest, serves her as the midwife to pregnant forest creatures, the planter of seeds, and the nurturer of seedlings in that forest. In addition, Lady Jeryth Phaulkon of Waterdeep, the Chosen Star of Mielikki, serves as Mielikki's mortal champion. She has been gifted by Mielikki with unknown powers and is referred to in the faith as Our Lady's Champion or the Granddaughter of Silvanus. Though still fairly young, she has quickly matured from a frivolous debutante into a steadfast forest warrior.
Mielikki is good-humored and quick to smile. She is confident in her actions and conveys this confidence well in small groups, though she dislikes speaking formally or leading large contingents. She is fiercely loyal and protective to those she calls friend, but does not grant that consideration lightly. Though she knows that some creatures must die to make way for others in life, she finds the injuries of animals and other friends hard to bear and often cures hurt creatures that Silvanus would leave be to fuel the cycle of death and rebirth.
Other Manifestations
When Mielikki manifests, it is most often as a glowing white unicorn who gallops through the air and can teleport freely from place to place in Faerun. This manifestation can cast spells by touch from its horn and speak mind-to-mind with any living being. At times, Mielikki also appears as a drifting radiance of blue-white or green, gold, and rust that speaks with her voice, can move objects that it envelops about from place to place, and can unleash magic as she does. To test their behavior, the Lady of the Forest often appears to rangers as a mortal woman lost and alone in the forest. The alert will notice that her feet never touch the ground, and therefore she leaves no trail. Mielikki also works through the actions of dryads, satyrs, hawks, songbirds, sprites, swanmays, treants, unicorns, wolves, and other woodland creatures.
The Church
CLERGY: Clerics, druids, rangers, druid/rangers
CLERGY'S ALIGN.: LG, NG, CG, N
TURN UNDEAD: C: Yes, D: No, R: No, D/R: No
CMND. UNDEAD: C: No, D: No, R: No, D/R: No
All clerics, druids, rangers, and druid/rangers of Mielikki receive religion (Faerunian) as a bonus nonweapon proficiency. When in a forested area, all Mielikkian druids, clerics, and rangers may cast a variant of the 1st-level priest spell analyze balance at will. This ability works on characters, creatures, or objects, or on part of the forest itself. If used on people, creatures, or objects, the ability works as the spell. If used on the forest, this ability allows a Mielikkian priest or ranger to detect if the ecology of a forested area is seriously disrupted.
Most rangers venerate Mielikki as their deity, though some venerate Silvanus, Eldath, Chauntea, Shaundakul, Mystra, or other deities. She grants her rangers their spells when they attain sufficient experience, and they see her as their leader, the supreme ranger, and their watchful mother. Other followers of Mielikki include dryads, hamadryads, treants, woodsmen, the occasional elf (especially wood elves), a few bards, and many of the Harpers. The followers of Mielikki usually do not organize themselves into official temples, but rather assemble in peaceful forest glades to worship the goddess. Shrines to the goddess are more common than temples and are found throughout the North, the Western Heartlands, and parts of the Dalelands in wilderness areas.
In 1369 DR, Mielikki ordered the reorganization of her church and reintroduced druids among her clergy to counter the waning of her faith. What little church hierarchy the Mielikkian faith has is still almost exclusively clerics; however, druids now have joined their ranks or begun circles in the North in her name. All the faithful of Mielikki are known as Walkers of the Forest Way. They are now organized into three branches of devotion: the Heartwoods, the Forestarms, and the Needles.
The Heartwoods are the heart of the faith, and serve as voices of the spirits of the trees themselves. These members of Mielikki's faithful include dryads, hamadryads, and treants.
The spiritual followers of Mielikki, known as the Arms of the Forest, or Forestarms, are the clerics and druids of her faith. They protect the forests of the world. Mielikki's priesthood is open to all good and neutral humans, demihumans, and members of other woodland races, but tends to be dominated by human and half-elf women of battle experience, passionate character, and adventuring interests.
The Needles are rangers. They are considered to be the most beloved of the Lady of the Forest. They sometimes serve as clergy, but most often act as the warrior arm of the faith and serve a defensive role protecting the forests from marauders, humanoids, and the followers of the god Malar. Included in this branch is a small religious order of druid/ranger woodland knights known as the Shadoweirs (SHA-doh-weerz).
Forestarms and Needles are given to dwelling in the forest. (Heartwoods do so per force.) Forestarms and Needles often have two or more abodes and a dozen or more caches of food and items that they can travel to in times of need. They tend to be the most adventuresome of forest and wilderness dwellers and to have easy-going dispositions. They are serene in their knowledge of the balance of natural cycles and at peace with all other sylvan faiths except the followers of Malar (whom they call "the Great Beast" or "the Beast of Beasts" or "the Bloodgod").
Forestarms tend to be practical, unfussy folk, reverent in their fireside prayers to the Lady but impatient with too much ceremony. Their titles reflect this: Questers (novices) who are accepted into the ranks of the priesthood may rise through the following ranks: Spring Stag (clergy members of less than two winters of service), Stalkers in the Green (experienced clergy who have not achieved outstanding achievements or appointments to senior temple staff duties), Forest Flames (senior temple staff, envoys, and recognized tutors of the faithful), High Rangers (leaders of temples and champions of the faith), and Hawks of the Lady. This last title is given by the Lady herself to denote her most cherished and high-ranking followers. Temple staff titles tend to be very simple: Cook, Master of Novices, Doorwarden, Housemaster, Prior, Abbot, and Worship Master are all common titles.
Dogma: Mielikki's followers are close to those of Silvanus in outlook and ethos, save that they stress the positive and outreaching nature of the wild. Intelligent beings can live in harmony with the wild without requiring the destruction of one in the name of the other. Mielikki's outlook matches that of rangers in general, which is why she is their patron.
Meilikkians are taught to embrace the wild and not fear it, because the wild ways are the good ways. They are to keep the balance and learn the hidden ways of all life. They should not allow trees to be needlessly felled or the forest to be burned. They are to live in the forest and be a part of the forest, not dwell in endless battle against the forest.
Walkers of the Forest Way must protect forest life, defend every tree, plant anew where death fells a tree, and strive to keep the balance that indiscriminate fire-users and woodcutters break. They are to live in harmony with the woods, to teach others to do so, and to punish and frustrate those who hunt for sport (not food) and who practice cruelties upon wild creatures.
Day-to-Day Activities: The Forestarms outlook is oriented toward the protection of nature (and forests in particular) from the forces of evil and ignorance. Many of these priests can be found wandering among small communities nestled at the edges of forests both great and small. They seek to teach humans and other goodly races to care and respect the trees and the life beneath their leafy bows. They try to prevent further encroachment by civilization on the remaining great forests by teaching careful forest husbandry. When called upon, they defend the forest with force of arms if necessary.
The Needles support the Forestarms of their own faith and the clergies of Eldath and Silvanus in defending, renewing, and even extending forests and forest life. Wherever possible without conflicting with this prime interest, they are to work against those who deal in fire magic (notably the Red Wizards and followers of Kossuth) and encourage city- and farm-dwelling folk to revere natural life and to view woodlands as rich, friendly places that are pleasant refuges for renewal and enjoying natural beauty, not deadly backlands to be feared and fought. They are also charged with supporting the Harpers when this does not conflict with their more primary duties, since the Harpers work against the rise of great powers, which tend to endanger all natural life and conditions around them by trying to reshape Faerun.
Rangers of all faiths are to be assisted whenever possible by Walkers of the Forest way, and the seeds of trees and woodland plants gathered, nurtured, and planted in an ongoing process so that 40 new trees will rise for every one taken by flame or axe. Many of the Forestarms and Needles visit foresters regularly to heal them and provide guidance so that as few trees as possible are taken and the forest is culled of weak creatures and unnatural predators, not creatures in the prime of life and health. In recent years, the Forestarms and Needles have worked with ranchers north of Melvaunt, eastern Amn, and the lands of the Dessarin to breed deer in large herds for food and pelt use, leaving the wild deer of the forests to recover—along with all the other forest creatures that either depend on deer for food, or are killed or frightened away by casual human forest incursions.
Holy Days/Important Ceremonies: Those who worship the Lady of the Forest believe her voice is echoed continuously throughout all forests by the rustling leaves. A worshiper in good stead can listen and understand the whispers of the woods after a period of meditation and extended introspection. These whispers have been transcribed by a few bards and rangers, but never seem to say the same thing twice. The general theme is the preservation and understanding of the forests and the creatures living within them. (Those who listen for a long period of time are reputed to improve their tracking and woodland survival skills as well as their knowledge of animal lore.)
Worship of Mielikki involves periods of introspection and meditation each morning and evening (in the forest whenever possible). Groups of worshipers also gather under the stars to sing the Lady's praises and ask for her guidance. When a worshiper of Mielikki begins a self-imposed quest to right a desecration of the forest, a special prayer is given up to the Lady of the Forest for strength and guidance. When aid is needed performing some simple task like setting the broken leg of a trapped wolf or following a trail, Walkers of the Forest Way usually ask for the Lady's blessing under their breath before proceeding.
The best-known to outsiders of the holy rituals of Mielikki are the Four Feasts of the solstice and equinox nights. These are known simply as the First Feast, the Second Feast, and so on. They are occasions for holy rituals and revels, wherein all Mielikki's faithful are expected to celebrate the sensual side of existence and sing praises to the Lady in forest depths wherever possible.
The festivals of Greengrass and Midsummer Night are even greater rituals, combining revels similar to those of the Four Feasts with planting rites and the Wild Ride. During the Wild Ride, the lady causes unicorns to gather in herds and gallop through the woods. Her faithful are allowed to ride them bareback through the night, covering astonishing distances and seeing much. On such rides, unicorns are empowered by the Lady to use their teleport ability as often as they desire for up to triple the normal range. On years when Shieldmeet follows Midsummer, riders can continue the Ride for that day and night if they so desire.
At least once a month, every member of the clergy must perform the Song of the Trees and serve any dryads, hamadryads, or treants their song calls forth. The clergy members perform the small tasks requested of them, but are free of dryad charms through the will of the Lady.
Every fire lit by a member of Mielikki's clergy must have the Dread Prayer whispered over it. In return, Mielikki makes the fire give off intense heat in particular directions indicated by the supplicant but almost no smoke. Such fires glow only dimly, so as to attract as little attention as possible, and do not spread. In this way, no watch need be kept against starting forest fires.
Major Centers of Worship: The most prominent center of the forest faith is located at the Falls of Tumbling Stars, west of Lake Sember. The locale is a hidden mountain valley where the Immerflow springs out of the Thunder Peaks and falls down the mountainsides to feed the river leading to the Wyvernwater. In this little-known valley, guarded against intrusion by rangers and half-elf archers of deadly skill, Hawk of the Lady Neretheen Jalassan, a priestess of Mielikki, and Hawk of the Lady Lord Ranger Beldryn Stormstone lead a small community of powerful rangers and other Walkers of the Forest Way in worship of the Lady of the Forest. To this holy place, the hurt and the favored of Mielikki's faithful are brought by secret ways. In the vale are holy bathing pools where the wounded are restored by the magic of Mielikki, and from this hidden vale the most powerful Walkers of the Forest Way fare forth to make pilgrimages to the distant Unicorn Run, where a gateway to Mielikki's realm is said to lie, and to work Mielikki's will across Faerun.
Affiliated Orders: Named for the greatest trees of the forests, the shadowtops and the weirwoods, the Shadoweirs are a highly secretive branch of the faith that originated in the northern reaches of the High Forest. Its members consist solely of half-elf multiclassed druid/rangers, and its membership has spread (thinly) beyond the High Forest throughout all of Faerun.
The Shadoweirs serve as a sort of religious knighthood of the woods. Unlike the Arms of the Forest or even the Needles, the Shadoweirs are an activist and proselytizing order who are willing to go on the offensive in the behalf of their sacred forests. They seek to advance the regrowth of ancient forests reduced by civilization. Many Shadoweirs are adventurers, wandering the Realms with missionary zeal. They seek to halt the endless assault of civilization on their ancient homelands.
Within the Walkers of the Forest Way, the Order of the Unicorn's Horn is a small society of itinerant healers who bring solace to both injured people, animals, and plants. The Mielikkian faith also has close ties with Those Who Harp (the Harpers), an organization working for good throughout Faerun and against the rise of great powers, which tend to endanger all natural life and conditions around them by trying to reshape Faerun.
Priestly Vestments: The colors of Mielikkian ceremonial garb vary with the seasons, each season having a base color and an accent. Winter is white with green accents, spring green with yellow accents, summer yellow with red accents, and fall red with white accents. The white and green of winter symbolizes evergreens and the unsleeping life of the forest, the green and yellow of spring is for the slow awakening of the forest to lush life, the yellow and red of summer represents the full splendor of flowers and burgeoning fruits and grains, and the red and white of fall symbolizes fall leaves being overlaid with snow. These colors govern capes worn with armor in times of war and the ceremonial dress of the Forestarms and the Needles: trousers, boots (always brown), a short cape, and a tabard that is long-sleeved in winter and sleeveless in summer. Whatever the garb, the unicorn's head of Mielikki, carved of ivory or bone or stitched in silver thread, is always worn over the heart.
The ceremonial dress of the Shadoweirs is chain mail and deep forest-green cloaks woven by dryads from spider silk and dyed with natural dyes. Many powerful forest knights wear ancient suits of elven chain mail they have been given by elven lords for their efforts in defending the forests. The symbol of the Shadoweirs is a giant shadowtop tree with a pair of crossed swords overlaying it, and it is sometimes stitched as a design on their clothing or worn on their shields.
Adventuring Garb: When in the field, most Walkers in the Forest Way dress appropriate to the weather and their duties, though they maintain the preferred seasonal colors of their faith. In very hot weather or in the summer woods most wear only a sash and baldric of the right colors. They carry needed gear in pouches, small packs, or strapped to their boots. The Shadoweirs prefer suits of gleaming chain mail or studded leather armor in the field.